Akpabio Speaks On Collapsing At His Birthday Colloquium

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has denied media reports that he slumped and was rushed to an undisclosed hospital.

There were claims that Akpabio collapsed and rushed to a hospital after seeing off President Bola Tinubu, who was present at the Colloquium to mark his 61st birthday.

Akpabio, while reacting to the claims in a statement issued on Friday by his spokesman, Eseme Eyiboh, said he did not collapse and was not taken to a hospital.

The Senate President said he was surprised about the report because he only informed some of those around him that he was tired, which escalated to a fainting spell or collapse.

Akpabio, therefore, asked the general public to ignore the media reports sponsored by purveyors of fake news.

He said: “It was especially disconcerting that the conjectures on the wellbeing of the senate president came after he was celebrated by the crème-de-crème of the nation’s leadership across all sectors at the Colloquium that was focused on defining a legislative agenda for national development.

“Senator Akpabio spoke on his feet for more than 30 minutes as he exposed his trajectory in a way as never before.

“As the programme ended and President Bola Tinubu left the Transcorp Hotel venue, Senator Akpabio’s expression to some of those around him that he was tired escalated to a fainting spell or collapse.

“Some more adventurous purveyors of untruth in their thrilling escapade of fiction even claimed that he is presently hospitalized and in a critical condition in the National Hospital, Abuja.

“This is wholly untrue, and I declare firmly that besides saying he was exhausted in the hearing of those around him, he was certainly not rushed in a stretcher to the national hospital or indisposed.”