President Tinubu’s Minister’s Son,  Akwa Ibom NDC Reps Candidate, Demands DNA Test From Father

By Ayodele Oni

In what looks like a paternity crisis  within the family of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo,  his son Marshall Ekprikpe Ekpo, has challenged him to a DNA test.

This emanated from political differences between father  and son.

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

In a Facebook post, Marshall 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.

Ekpo explained that 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.

“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,” he added.

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.

The controversy began after reports quoting 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 newspaper’s websites, alleged that some APC stakeholders feared that the candidacy could split votes in the constituency.

Responding to the reports, 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.

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  family relationships and repeated calls 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.

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.