Minister’s son challenges alleged paternity denial, demands DNA test

A political controversy in Akwa Ibom erupted into a deeply personal feud after a House of Representatives candidate publicly challenged a serving minister to a DNA test, reigniting years of allegations over paternity, abandonment and family loyalty.

Marshall Ekperikpe Ekpo, who recently emerged as the House of Representatives candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency in Akwa Ibom State, has publicly challenged what appears to be a denial of his paternity by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo.

In a Facebook post, Mr Ekpo accused his father of rejecting him and challenged him to undergo a DNA test to establish the truth.

“It is painful to hear words of denouncement from a biological father, the very person who should offer comfort and quiet direction at a time like this,” he wrote.

Mr Ekpo said he contested the NDC primary election because of his desire to serve the people of the constituency and insisted that he would not be discouraged by attempts to distance him from his father.

“I will not deny the fact that the Honourable Minister of State (Gas), Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpo, is my biological father,” he said.

“Dear Father, if you truly believe in your integrity, then let us settle this once and for all through a DNA test. Truth does not fear examination, and facts will speak for themselves.”

The post appears to be a response to recent comments attributed to the minister’s spokesperson, Louis Ibah, who reportedly denied that any of the minister’s sons was contesting an election.

Controversy over NDC candidacy

The controversy began after reports published on 19 June by Vanguard and LEADERSHIP quoted political stakeholders in the Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency as expressing concerns that Marshall’s candidature on the NDC platform could affect the electoral fortunes of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the constituency ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The reports, which have since been removed from the newspapers’ websites, alleged that some APC stakeholders feared that the candidacy could split votes in the constituency.

Responding to the reports, Mr Ibah reportedly dismissed suggestions that the minister was backing his son’s political ambition.

However, the spokesperson’s reported statement sparked controversy because he was quoted as saying, “No son of the minister was contesting any election.”

The remark fuelled speculation about whether the minister was disputing Marshall’s claim that he is his son or merely distancing himself from the NDC candidate’s political activities.

The reported statement did not clarify whether Marshall is not the minister’s son, whether the reports about his candidacy were inaccurate, or whether the minister was denying any involvement in the campaign.

Minister denies son’s candidacy

Four days ago, LEADERSHIP reported that Mr Ekpo denied claims that his son was seeking election into the House of Representatives on the platform of the NDC.

The newspaper quoted the minister as rejecting assertions linking him to the candidacy.

PREMIUM TIMES could not independently verify whether the minister personally made the statement attributed to him by the newspaper.

A review by PREMIUM TIMES found no official statement issued directly by the minister expressly disowning Marshall or denying being his father.

Earlier social media allegations resurface

The latest controversy has also drawn attention to allegations that surfaced on social media some months ago regarding the relationship between the minister and Marshall.

In a Facebook post published in March 2025, social media commentator Da Zion Umoh said Marshall is the minister’s biological first son and accused the minister of abandoning him for decades.

The post contained several claims about the parties’ family relationships and repeatedly called on the minister to either publicly acknowledge Marshall as his son or submit to a DNA test.

The commentator also alleged that the minister had failed to support Marshall and his family despite occupying prominent political positions.

PREMIUM TIMES could not independently verify the claims contained in the post, and there is no public record showing that the minister responded to the allegations at the time.

However, the calls for a paternity test have attracted renewed attention following Marshall’s recent Facebook post in which he insisted that the minister is his biological father and challenged him to a DNA test.

Efforts to obtain clarification

PREMIUM TIMES could not immediately get the minister’s comment on the report as our reporter could not reach his spokesperson, Mr Ibah. Mr Mbah’s known telephone line had remained switched off at the time of filing this report.