Speaking on Tuesday at a high-profile infrastructure commissioning ceremony in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Akpabio claimed that political adversaries, unable to match the governance strides of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration, have resorted to weaponizing insecurity to destabilize the nation and paint the current government as incompetent.
The Senate President's explosive allegations come amid heightened national anxiety over a resurgence of kidnappings for ransom, which have hit both rural communities and major urban centers, including the capital city of Abuja.
Akpabio chose a major government milestone to deliver his fiery address, speaking directly to a crowd gathered for the commissioning of two main carriageways of the Outer Southern Expressway (OSEX), stretching from the Ring Road I Junction to the Ring Road II Junction in Abuja. The project, overseen by the FCT Administration, was meant to showcase the infrastructural achievements of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Addressing the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who was also in attendance, Akpabio noted that the opposition's criticisms are driven purely by electoral desperation.
> “Honourable Minister, you claim that people say nothing is happening in Nigeria under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Akpabio declared. “If they did not say that, how will they go for the election? They have to say that.”
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The Senate President argued that the opposition has found itself completely outraced by the performance of the Tinubu administration. According to Akpabio, traditional political talking points have been rendered useless by the government’s aggressive approach to infrastructure development and economic reforms.
Delving deeper into his conspiracy theory, Akpabio claimed that because the opposition can no longer attack the government on projects, legislative performance, or structural transformations, they have turned to subterranean and destructive tactics.
He pointed out that long-abandoned projects across Abuja are finally being completed and commissioned, citing the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) building as a prime example of the administration's resolve.
"When they realise they cannot talk about projects, performance, good laws, transformation, or the subsidy removal that has been promised Nigerians for decades… and when they realise that they can no longer talk about most of the abandoned high-rise buildings in Abuja — such as the NRC building that was recently commissioned — they have now resorted to paying small, young people, recruiting them to cause mayhem across the country," Akpabio alleged.
The Senate President insisted that the spikes in kidnappings are not organic indicators of systemic failure, but are instead deliberate, politically bankrolled operations aimed at distracting the public and eroding confidence in the state's security apparatus.
With Abuja itself recently experiencing a disturbing rise in bold, neighborhood-level abductions, Akpabio used the platform to issue a stern warning to residents, urging them to remain hyper-vigilant against what he labeled as politically orchestrated distractions.
"I want you all who are here to be very vigilant. Be careful about people who are trying to kidnap for ransom," Akpabio cautioned the gathering. "They are kidnapping in order to cause distraction. They are kidnapping in order to give the impression that Nigeria is not safe."
Despite the gravity of his accusations, Akpabio pivotally offered words of reassurance regarding the capacity of the nation's armed forces and law enforcement agencies. He commended Nigeria’s security personnel, asserting that they are working round the clock, often under grueling conditions, to neutralize these evolving threats and keep citizens safe.
Expressing absolute confidence that the Tinubu administration would eventually triumph over the security challenges, Akpabio drew on biblical imagery to emphasize the fleeting nature of the crisis. "The devil you see today, you shall see them no more," he promised, adding that Nigeria’s democratic institutions would outlast the machinations of desperate politicians.
"Elections will come and go. Elections will never be our end. We will see the end of elections; elections will never see our end," Akpabio concluded, signaling that the ruling party remains unfazed by the security challenges as it looks toward future political contests.
Akpabio’s remarks have immediately polarized public discourse. While fierce loyalists of the APC administration have praised the Senate President for exposing what they consider to be a coordinated sabotage campaign by frustrated politicians, opposition figures and civil society organizations have swiftly pushed back.
Critics argue that attributing grave security lapses to political sabotage is a deflection tactic designed to absolve the federal government of its primary constitutional duty: protecting the lives and properties of its citizens. They maintain that socio-economic pressures—exacerbated by high inflation and economic reforms like the fuel subsidy removal—remain the primary drivers of crime and structural instability across the country.
As the political dust settles over Akpabio's speech, security analysts warn that politicizing the country's security crisis could complicate the efforts of intelligence agencies, who must remain entirely neutral to effectively dismantle the heavily armed syndicates terrorizing Nigerian highways and communities.
