The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, the legislative arm of government in Akwa Ibom State, located in southern Nigeria, has formally denied reports suggesting that it plans to pass a bill criminalising sexual relationships involving married men within the state.
The clarification followed widespread circulation of a social media post on Facebook, a United States based social networking platform, authored by an individual identified as Obiavel Albert Abigo. The post alleged that the Akwa Ibom State legislature was considering a controversial bill that would impose a ten year prison sentence on women found guilty of engaging in sexual relationships with married men, while prescribing a fine of ₦2,000,000 for men involved.
The post further claimed that the proposed legislation was sponsored by Akwa Ibom State Deputy Governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, a former Nigerian senator and current senior executive official in the state government.
Responding to the claim, the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Honourable Jerry Otu, dismissed the report as false and misleading. He described it as a deliberate attempt to misinform the public and damage the credibility of both the Assembly and the Deputy Governor.
Okay News reports that the lawmaker issued an official statement on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, categorically stating that no such bill exists before the House and that the Assembly has neither received nor debated any proposal of that nature.
According to the statement, “The attention of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has been drawn to a fabricated report circulating on social media, alleging that the House is set to pass a bill criminalising sexual relationships with married men.
“The Assembly wishes to categorically state that this report is entirely false and has no basis in fact. The Assembly has not received or considered any such bill, and the Deputy Governor has not sponsored it.”
The House further condemned what it described as a malicious attempt to tarnish the image of the Deputy Governor and the legislative institution, urging members of the public to disregard the report and any related commentary.
“The House remains committed to its constitutional role of law making and will not be swayed by mischievous attempts to undermine its integrity,” the statement added.
The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly reiterated its commitment to transparency, responsible governance, and adherence to Nigeria’s constitutional legislative processes, while advising citizens to verify information from credible sources before sharing.
