Senate President Godswill Akpabio says people criticizing President Bola Tinubu on social media are being paid to carry out attacks. In the reports, he frames the allegation as part of a broader effort to undermine the president’s image and influence public opinion.

Context appears in how Akpabio links the claims to future politics. One outlet reports that he urges northern youths to mobilise in the run-up to Tinubu’s 2027 re-election, while another presents the allegation as part of exposing “paid critics” funded by the opposition. Across the coverage, the emphasis differs mainly in wording—some describe “social media attacks,” others focus on “paid critics”—but all attribute the core claim to Akpabio.