President Bola Tinubu nominated Usoro Akpabio as Managing Director and Chibudom Nwuche, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, as Chairman of the South-South Development Commission (SSDC).
The nominations were announced during a plenary session presided over by Senator Akpabio, sparking speculation about a possible family link between the Managing Director and the Senate President.
The Nigerian Senate has refuted the widespread rumors suggesting that Usoro Akpabio, the newly appointed Managing Director of the South-South Development Commission, is the daughter of Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
According to a Punch report published on May 12, 2025, the Senate’s position was made clear by Senator Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity. He described the claim as baseless and unfounded, noting that a shared surname does not imply a familial relationship.
“There is no iota of truth in that report,” Adaramodu stated. “It’s just like hearing someone named Adaramodu in Osun or Ondo and assuming he’s my brother. Things don’t work that way.”
Adaramodu, however, firmly dismissed those claims, saying: “The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, is entirely different from Usoro Akpabio. She is not in any way connected to the former governor of Akwa Ibom.”
He added that while there is nothing wrong with appointing qualified relatives to public positions, in this instance, no such relationship exists.