ABUJA: The Senate chamber erupted in laughter on Thursday after Senate President Godswill Akpabio playfully teased Senator Adams Oshiomhole over a viral social media video that allegedly showed the former Edo State governor aboard a private jet with a woman massaging his leg.
Speaking during plenary while addressing petitions before the Senate, Akpabio jokingly recalled how lawmakers initially dismissed the controversial footage as a possible product of artificial intelligence (AI).
I don’t want to go outside of what we are doing… I would have asked a question when there was a picture showing one of our senators in a plane, massaging the leg of a girl,” Akpabio said, drawing laughter from lawmakers.
Turning directly to Oshiomhole, the Senate President recounted that Senator Simon Lalong had advised him not to attach importance to the viral clip because many believed it had been digitally manipulated.
“Senator Oshiomhole, your friend, your very good friend Senator Lalong came to give me security information. He said that we just ignored the message because we thought it was AI,” Akpabio remarked.
He added that the Senate would be willing to examine the issue if credible evidence emerged proving the footage was authentic.
But if you have another evidence, we have a petition before us, we can look into it if it’s not AI,h e said.
Viral Video Sparked Online Debate The Senate President’s remarks referenced a video that circulated widely across social media platforms in February 2026, appearing to show a man resembling the Edo North senator seated inside what looked like a private jet while a woman rested her legs on his lap.
The footage generated intense reactions online, with many Nigerians debating whether the video was genuine or had been manipulated using artificial intelligence technology.
Oshiomhole Denied Authenticity
Following the video’s circulation, Senator Oshiomhole, through his media aide Oseni Momodu, firmly denied the authenticity of the footage.
His media team described the video as fabricated and allegedly generated using AI technology in an attempt to damage the senator’s reputation.
The aide also urged members of the public to exercise caution before sharing unverified online content, stressing the growing threat posed by AI-generated misinformation and deepfake videos.
According to the statement, efforts were underway to identify those behind the creation and circulation of the controversial footage.
Although Akpabio’s comments were made in a humorous tone, they highlighted increasing concerns about the misuse of artificial intelligence to create deceptive digital content capable of influencing public perception and damaging reputations.
