Nigerians Will Experience Best of Times Under Tinubu — Akpabio
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has expressed confidence that under the President Bola Tinubu-led federal government, Nigerians will experience the best of times.
He assured of a very serious accord between the Executive and the Legislature, as he indicated the readiness of the National Assembly to work with the presidency.
The former Akwa Ibom State governor and ex-Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs Ministry encouraged the international business community of the readiness of the 10th National Assembly to partner the executive in order to provide an enabling business environment and to make life worth living for the people.
The Senate President said this in his goodwill message at the Reception Dinner in honor of the newly appointed Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, at the Transcorp Hotel, Abuja on Saturday.
“I believe strongly that Nigerians are in for the best of times under this administration. Members of the National Assembly will enjoy a lot of cooperation and support from the Executive because for the first time, we are going to have a very serious accord between the Executive and the Legislature. I see good things coming for Nigerians.”
“In less than 20 days in office, the Stock Market has gone up all over the world. The world is already applauding Nigeria. I believe strongly that Senator Akume has a hand in most of the policies that are coming out and you are just starting.
You can imagine the celebrations that would come again, in the first 100 days of this administration in office. You are indeed a square peg in a square hole,” he explained.
On the celebrant, Akpabio added, “We are celebrating two things tonight; Excellence and Humility. You are a man of excellence. You leave your mark in everything you do and I have no doubt you are going to leave your mark in the present administration of President Tinubu. Your humility disarms all,” he declared.
Akpabio said the 10th Senate would work seamlessly with Senator Akume as the SGF to develop policies that will change the economic situation in the nation.
Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, in his message said, “Senator Akume has a proven track record in coordinating government activities and stringing government, while the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, described Akume as “a welfarist who puts the needs of others first. His appointment, he noted, “is evidence of efficient representation of the North Central in President Tinubu’s administration.”
On his part, the SGF assured that “he will do his best and he will not disappoint President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC.”
Also, the Senate President Godswill Akpabio has urged former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike and his four other friends in the G5 to come up with another aggrieved group within opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to make winning the 2027 presidential election a smooth ride for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Akpabio, a former Akwa Ibom State governor, spoke on Sunday at a thanksgiving reception held at Wike’s private residence on Ada-George Road, in his hometown, Rumueprikom in the Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of the oil-rich South-South state.
“I want to thank you for all your efforts to bring justice to Nigeria,” Akpabio told Wike who backed the return of power to Southern Nigeria and supported APC’s candidate, Bola Tinubu against his party’s choice, Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 presidential election.
“And I want to thank the G5 Governors,” the Senate President said whilst addressing the G5 or the Integrity Group made up of five major aggrieved politicians within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who kicked against the emergence of Abubakar in the last February 25 poll.
“We are very delighted, we are proud to have G5. Please, ensure that in 2027, another G5 emerges so that APC will continue to do well in this country. And if you like, you can add two more, make it G7 and not only G5,” Akpabio added.
Addressing Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, who is also one of the G5 members, Akpabio said, “Your Excellency (Governor) Makinde, you know I predicted that you are going to be a governor when I met you with the late Alaafin, may his soul rest in peace. I just saw the way you were walking and I said, ‘This man walks like a governor.’ I wasn’t surprised when you became a governor.”
All members of the G5 including Wike, Makinde and former Governors Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) were seated at the event.
Another member of the Integrity Group and former Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose; as well as Acting PDP Chairman, Umar Damagum; former Governors Peter Odili (Rivers), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano) and James Ibori (Delta) were in attendance.
President Bola Tinubu was represented by Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Serving Governors Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), joined the long list of Very Important Personalities at the event which was a Mecca of sorts with high-ranking APC stalwarts and members of the 10th National Assembly including Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, ex-Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole; ex-Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi; member representing Borno South Senatorial District, Ali Ndume; amongst others.
Many believed the G5 whittled the chances of Abubakar in the last presidential election as the G5 had insisted on Rotational Presidency after the eight-year administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, a former military head of state from Katsina State in North-West Nigeria whose two-term tenure as democratically elected President ended on May 29, 2023.
At the PDP primary last year before the 2023 general elections, the G5 couldn’t stop Abubakar, another northerner from Adamawa State from getting the party’s golden ticket. The group thereafter demanded that Iyorchia Ayu (another northerner from Benue State) stepped down for a southern replacement as PDP national chairman but both Atiku and Ayu called the bluff of the G5.
For the presidential election, Abubakar lost in all the G5 states and while Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi won in Enugu and Abia, Tinubu raked in Oyo, Benue and Rivers.
Tinubu, 70, came out tops in 12 of Nigeria’s 36 states, and secured significant numbers in several other states to claim the highest number of votes — 8,794,726, almost two million votes more than his closest rival, Abubakar.
Abubakar, 76, who has now run for president six times, got 6,984,520 votes, while Obi, who, in less than a year, galvanised young voters in a manner some have described as unprecedented finished the race with 6,101,533.
On June 8, the G5 visited President Tinubu at Aso Villa in Abuja.