Senate President Godswill Akpabio, on Monday, came back to Nigeria after what his media office described as a short vacation in London.

This is even as Akpabio promised Nigerians “robust legislative engagements” when the senate resumes from recess.

Akpabio, who arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 4am , was received at the presidential wing by senators, aides, and supporters.

The Senate President’s return comes after rumours circulated on social media that he was critically ill and hospitalised in London.

However, speaking with journalists on his return to the country at the airport, Akpabio dismissed the reports, describing them as “the imagination of the purveyors”.

“There’s nothing like such. I’m fit as a fiddle. I only stopped over in London for a short vacation,” he said.

Ekwutosblog reported that Akpabio had earlier attended the sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva, Switzerland, from July 29 to 31, before proceeding to the UK.

According to him, the Nigerian delegation at the conference played a significant role in advocating for deeper democratic governance and better synergy between arms of government.

The Presidency has mocked opposition leaders Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, following the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s victory in last Saturday’s bye-elections.

Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, wrote on his X account on Monday morning: “How is the market now?” he asked, alongside Atiku, Peter Obi and other ADC members in a photo.

Although he did not mention names, it was clear he was referring to the opposition in the just-concluded election.

The elections were held to replace lawmakers who died or resigned after the 2023 general elections.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) won 12 out of the 16 bye-election seats held in August 2025.

Recall that seats were contested across 12 states, with some reports listing 13 including Zamfara, where the election was inconclusive.

Ekwutosblog reported that APC won 12 seats, APGA 2, PDP 1 and NNPP 1. The Zamfara seat was declared inconclusive.

Residents of Enugu on Saturday confronted and booed the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, accusing him of arriving at a polling unit with thugs in an alleged bid to rig votes in a constituency outside his own.

In an online video, angry youths and voters could be heard shouting down the minister, telling him he had no business interfering in the electoral process.

“As a minister, you are not supposed to be here. You are not an agent. You don’t have any business here,” one voter screamed at Nnaji, as others echoed the chant.

The scene quickly escalated as the crowd, comprising adults and children, surrounded the minister and his entourage, forcing them out of the polling unit.

Reports online had also stated that the Enugu South Urban Constituency by-election on Saturday ended in chaos as voting failed to take place at Uwani Secondary School, the designated polling venue, despite a massive turnout of voters.