Chairman of the Senate Committee on Navy, Gbenga Daniel, has dismissed reports that Senate President Godswill Akpabio is ill and is hospitalised in London.
Akpabio’s Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, in a statement on Monday, said Daniel visited the Senate President in London.
Daniel, who is representing Ogun East in the Senate, said he had a stopover in London to inform Akpabio of his plan to return to Nigeria for the August 16 by-election to fill the vacant Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North Federal constituency seat in his state.
The seat became vacant following the death of former deputy whip of the House of Representatives, Adewumi Onanuga.
The statement quoted Daniel during the London meeting with Akpabio as saying, “I am here to formally inform you, Mr Senate President, that I will be returning to Nigeria to partake in the August 16 bye-election into the Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North federal constituency, which was declared vacant after the death of late Hon Onanuga.
“Your excellency, the news out there is that you have been indisposed, but seeing you here now paints a very different picture. Congratulations, your excellency.”
Akpabio thanked Daniel for visiting and for his interest in the by-election while expressing confidence that the ruling party will retain the seat.
The Senate President added, “With the commitments and support of Governor Dapo Abiodun, your good self and other stakeholders of our party in the state, we will retain the House of Representatives seat at the end of the election.
“Let me congratulate you in advance, because you have all it takes to retain that federal constituency seat for our great party. You are from there, and interestingly, the governor is also from there, so I don’t harbour any fear.”
Concerning speculation about his health, Akpabio said, “If you listen to the social media, you will go to war.”
