Traditional rulers in Annang land, Akwa Ibom State, have issued a formal summons to Mrs. Patience Akpabio, the sister-in-law of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and her husband Ibanga Akpabio, demanding their appearance within seven days over alleged defamatory social media posts.
The apex body of Annang traditional rulers, Afe Nkuku Annang, released a communiqué on Monday after a meeting held at the Ati Annang Secretariat in Ikot Ekpene.
The monarchs expressed outrage over what they described as “malicious and unguarded” comments allegedly made by Mrs. Akpabio, linking the Senate President to multiple killings during his time as governor of Akwa Ibom State.
In one such Facebook post, Mrs. Patience Akpabio wrote:
“For all the people you people have killed when you were governor of Akwa Ibom, and those you people have killed now that you are in the Senate, it will not be well with you.”
The Afe Nkuku Annang demanded that both Patience and Ibanga Akpabio appear before the traditional council within seven days to offer clarification and undergo possible cleansing rituals, as prescribed by Annang customs.
Failure to comply, the royal body warned, would result in “drastic punitive sanctions.”
The communiqué was signed by HRM Obong Cosmas Okon Akpan, Paramount Ruler of Essien Udim and President of the council, Akuku (Prof.) Amanam Akpanudo Udo, Paramount Ruler of Etim Ekpo and Vice President and Engr. (Dr.) J.J. Obosi IV (JP), Paramount Ruler of Oruk Anam.
The monarchs condemned the “vulgar language” used by Mrs. Akpabio, emphasizing that as a woman married into the esteemed Akpabio family of Essien Udim, she was expected to maintain the dignity and values of her marital home and community.
They argued that if she had legitimate grievances, she should have reported them to family elders, traditional authorities, or law enforcement, rather than making inflammatory public posts on social media.
“Rather than pursue lawful and dignified channels, she chose to engage in social media taunting and blackmail, apparently aimed at tarnishing the Senate President’s image,” the statement read.
The monarchs further stated that her posts had also dragged the name of Governor Umo Eno into public controversy, describing the allegations as baseless and defamatory.
Attempts to contact Mrs. Patience Akpabio and her husband were unsuccessful as their mobile phones remained unreachable at the time of this report.
