Why We Endorsed Akpabio As Next Senate President – South-South Group

A group operating in South-South geo-political zone of Nigeria under the aegis of US4US Movement, has given reasons why it has thrown its weight a former Senate Minority Leader and immediate-past Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to emerge as President of the 10th Senate.

The group urged the incoming federal lawmakers and stakeholders of All Progressives Congress (APC) to do everything within the armbit of the law to ensure that Akpabio emerges the next Senate President in the 10th National Assembly.

A stalwart of APC and Convener of the group, Mr. Richard Romanus, made the call in a telephone interview with LEADERSHIP shortly after the group ended its extra-ordinary meeting in Calabar, Cross Rivers Rivers.

The group stated that with Akpabio at the helms of affairs of the Senate, laws and policies of government would be initiated in a manner that the economic revival of the nation would be quaranteed.

Romanus stated that Akpabio was the only right man for the job among the array of politicians jostling to occupy the position of Senate President in the 10th Senate.

He said Akpabio’s track record speaks volumes about his capacity and willingness to ensure that young people are carried along in governance.

“Having occupied the position of Senate minority leader in 2015, where he performed creditably, his wealth of experience at the Senate would be useful in the sstabilistion of the 10th Senate.

“I think he would do well if he is given the privilege to function in that capacity of 10th Senate president,” Romanus maintained.

A communique dated March 24, 2023 issued at the end of the group’s extra-ordinary session signed by the convener and sighted by LEADERSHIP, emphasised on the need for Akpabio’s emergence as next president of the Senate.

“This is why as a group we are making this appeal for support of stakeholders of ruling APC to put thier weight solidly behind Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio whom we are sure of having that enormous capacity for the task ahead,” the communique stated.

It added that with Akpabio, interest of young people, not only in the South-South zone, but the interest of many young persons in Nigeria irrespective of ethno-religious differences, would be protected.

The communique maintained that going by Akpabio’s antecedents when he served Akwa Ibom State as governor and many other public offices which he had held in the past, many young people would be lifted out from the shackles of poverty.

“We the members of US4US Movement hereby unanimously adopt and endorse Obong Godswill Akpabio for Senate President, on the strength of his unrivalled track record of performance and commitment to the party and the people of Nigeria.

“We call on the vast majority of elected Senators to support and galvanize support for the Senate Presidential ambition of Obong Godswill Akpabio,” the communique stated.

It adedd that apart from stepping down his presidential ambition and collapsing his support base for president-elect, Ahmed Tinubu, Akpabio also delivered more than 25 per cent votes required by the constitution in his Akwa Ibom State in favour of the APC in the just-concluded presidential poll.