Akwa Ibom assembly dismisses viral claim of bill on affairs with married men

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has denied reports that it passed or is considering a bill to criminalise sexual relationships with married men.

The Assembly described the claim as false and misleading, saying no such bill has been presented, debated or passed by the legislature. The clarification was contained in a statement issued by the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon. Jerry Anson Otu.

The denial followed a viral social media post alleging that a bill sponsored by the Deputy Governor, Senator (Dr.) Akon Eyakenyi, sought to criminalise sexual relationships between women and married men, with penalties including a jail term for women and a monetary fine for the men involved.

Reacting to the report, the Assembly said the Deputy Governor did not sponsor any such bill and that the content of the viral post was entirely fabricated. It urged the public to disregard the information, describing it as an attempt to misinform residents and tarnish the image of the legislature and the state government.

The Assembly reaffirmed its commitment to responsible lawmaking and appealed to the public to rely on verified and official sources for information on legislative activities in the state.