When Akpabio Reported Progress

BY ANIETIE EKONG

The year 2024 ended on a momentous note for the people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District as they gathered at Ikot Ekpene Township Stadium on December 30, 2024 for the constituency briefing and empowerment programme of the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

On that day, the stadium was filled to capacity with the covered terraces and field area filled up with enthusiastic constituents who had come from across the 10 Local Government Areas that make up the senatorial district and beyond to witness what they called “an uncommon empowerment programme.”

With the empowerment items and equipment fully on display in the field area of the stadium, the overflow of those who couldn’t gain access into the stadium was massive. One constituent on gaining access into the stadium when he saw the items on display quipped: “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

As the man of the moment, Senator Akpabio made his grand entry into the arena, the already charged atmosphere and supporters went hysterical. He has come to the people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, and Akwa Ibom State as a whole to report progress of his stewardship as their representative and President of the Senate. And he did not disappoint.

Among the items and equipment lined up for distribution to his constituents included sports utility vehicles, cars, buses, sowing machines, motorcycles, tricycles, farm equipment, makeup kits, deep freezers, grinding machines, generators, computers, and mini hand tractors. Business grants were also disbursed to further boost economic activities in the area. Over 2000 students received cash transfer of Two Hundred Thousand Naira as bursaries, scholarships and grants for their educational pursuits.

Donation of Cars to Traditional Rulers

Paramount Rulers from Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District were not left out of the empowerment programme of the Senate President. The royal fathers ruling the 10 local government areas in the senatorial district smiled home with sophisticated Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs).

Akpabio reiterated his commitment to the traditional institution, demonstrating his respect and appreciation for the vital role they play in the community.

He acknowledged the importance of the traditional rulers in maintaining peace, stability, and cultural heritage in their respective domains. According to him, traditional rulers will always be beneficiaries of his representation in the Senate, recalling that the gesture dates back to when he was a Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State and later during his tenure as Governor.

Thank you to the people

Addressing his constituents, Senator Akpabio expressed appreciation to the people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District for voting massively for him to represent them at the Senate.

His words, “We didn’t come to make any speech today but to tell the good people of Akwa Ibom State particularly, Ikot Ekpene senatorial district thank you for your good choice, thank you for your wisdom, vision and thank you for re-electing Senator Godswill Akpabio into the 10th senate.

“Votes from my senatorial district for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu were more than the votes of the five states of the South East joined together. The South East must prove itself. The president has shown the South East love. He has signed the South East Development Commission into an Act of Parliament .

Support for Tinubu

The Senate President noted that President Bola Tinubu has touched many lives through continuous constituency projects across the country and urged Nigerians to be patient with President Tinubu as he grapples to fix the nation’s economy and touch the lives of Nigerians across the ethnic divides.

“President Tinubu met a very bad condition on the ground, nobody envied him. He said he was determined to change the situation. Let us encourage him to change the situation. We believe that at the end of the day, we will move the country forward. He did it in Lagos before and he will do it again in Nigeria. Just give him time he will take us to our El Dorado.

“I want us to know that Nigeria was on life support when the people voted Tinubu to become the president. One day I asked him, Mr President, after becoming the President and seeing the level of the economy that Emefiele left behind, are you excited? He said, well, I’m determined to change the situation,” Akpabio stated.

Commendation for Governor Umo Eno

He commended Governor Umo Eno for his peaceful disposition saying he would reciprocate the kind gesture of the governor during Christmas when he sent 1000 bags of rice to APC in the state by sending 1,500 bags of rice to the PDP even as he directed that the PDP Chairman should get the rice immediately for his members.

“I want to appreciate the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, without peace, there will not be development, the Governor has decided to embrace all Akwa Ibom people irrespective of political leanings even during Christmas, the Governor sent 1000 bags of rice to APC in the state and because of that, I request that the PDP chairman should come forward and take 1500 bags of rice for his members.

“We are touching all local governments, they will receive Keke Napep, generating sets, deep freezers to store their fish and other things, tricycles for those bringing palm produce from the villages, those in fashion we have sewing machines, makeup kits, etc. For beneficiaries, use your items well,” he said.

Regional Development Commissions

Senator Akpabio reaffirmed his endorsement of the creation of regional development commissions in Nigeria and said it would fasttrack grassroots development in the country.

The Senate President said, “We decided to create regional developmental nexus for the President to use in sending empowerment to most regions in Nigeria.

The 10th National Assembly believes strongly that development should go to the grassroots and therefore we decided to create a regional developmental nexus for the President to use in sending empowerment to most regions in Nigeria.

“So we have the Northwest Development Commission, already signed, we have South West Development Commission about to be signed. We have the North Central Development Commission almost being signed. We also have the South-South Development Commission about to be signed. In addition, key ministries have been allocated not on the basis of votes, but on the needs basis.

“The Southeast has a lot of ecological problems, very poor roads just like the South South and Mr President decided to give us the Ministry Of Works in addition to other key ministries. Akwa Ibom is sitting on Gas and the future of the economy of Nigeria is gas and so the President gave us Minister of Petroleum Resources, (Gas).”

He noted that Tinubu has shown so much love to the South East by giving a key ministry, the Ministry of Works to them and signing the South East Development Commission into an Act of Parliament even as he explained that every other regional development Commissions would be signed in no distant time.

His words, “The President has shown the South East love, he has signed the South East Development Commission into an Act of Parliament. In addition, key ministries have been allocated, not on the basis of votes but on the needs basis.

“The South East has a lot of ecological problems, the South East has very poor roads, just like the South South and Mr president decided to give us the Ministry of Works in addition to other key Ministries even the Petroleum and Gas Ministries.

“Akwa Ibom is sitting on gas, all the way from Utapete down to Ibeno. Above all, the President allowed our State to produce the Number Three Citizen, the Senate President, the last time we had such an opportunity was in 1979. President Tinubu deserves all our support.”

Goodwill Messages

Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator Abba Moro commended Senator Akpabio for the massive empowerment of his constituents and praised his leadership of the 10th Senate for carrying Senators along across party lines as Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

According to Senator Moro, “Nigeria is the constituency of the Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the able leadership of your son, Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio GCON, and today what I am witnessing to my left, to my right, in front of me and behind me, I can see happiness and excitement radiating from the faces of everybody I am seeing here.

“As I was looking at the items of empowerment that are here, wondering how the beneficiaries will be feeling I started hearing loud noises over there, and I started wondering what is happening because all of them in their numbers could not be able to take one item each from here. And I was told that each person there has received an alert of two hundred thousand Naira each and that was why I was hearing that excitement and clapping over there. What could be better? I am told this is a tip of the iceberg. Better days, I am told, are coming.

“In Akwa Ibom State you are told the foundation was laid by one man. Who is that one man? He is Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Uncommon Transformer. And today we are here to witness another kind of transformation by his giving back to the society, this time around giving back to those people who made it possible for him to become a Senator and the Senate President.

“That is why we are here to lend him our support. If you look up there you will see Senators from PDP and you will Senators from APC and other political parties because with Senator Godswill Akpabio there are no boundaries. If you have a leader like this, a leader that cares, a leader that loves his people, a leader that gives back to his constituents, what do you do? He leads and you follow,” Senator Moro said.

Deputy Chief whip of the 10th Senate, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi in his goodwill message appreciated the people of Akwa Ibom State for the choice of Senator Akpabio as their leader. “In the course of my political ministration I submitted that Senator Godswill Akpabio is an extraordinary human being created by God to do extraordinary things.

“As your Governor, all the roads he built 18 years ago are without potholes. That is quality job. As your Governor, he built he the number one stadium not just for Nigeria but the entire Africa. Time will fail me to numerate his achievements as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State.

“I can submit that in the history of governance in Nigeria, Senator Akpabio has been second to none. I am not surprised with what I am seeing here today because I know that Senator Akpabio is known for doing uncommon things and that is why you named him the Uncommon Transformer. All I can say is to God be the glory!” he said.

Speaking on behalf of political stakeholders from Akwa Ibom State, Senator Ita Enang thanked President Tinubu and the APC for endorsing the leadership of Senator Akpabio. “The President of the Senate does not just represent the APC. He represents the entire people of Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria as a whole.

“Among the items that he is presenting today, he has made provisions for all political parties. It is for all citizens of the state irrespective of your political leaning. Let me thank President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress and the entire Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the honour done Akwa Ibom by electing the son of State, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio to preside as the President of the 10th Senate.

“What you are seeing today is the product of what His Excellency has brought back to Akwa Ibom State as part of thanksgiving to Akwa Ibom people. So we want to say Your Excellency, it has been in your character to build people, it has been in your character to give, it has been in your character to develop and we thank you for this development that you have brought to Akwa Ibom people,” he said.

On his part, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) Obong Emem Ekperikpe Ekpo said from his days as a Commissioner to his present position as the President of the Senate, Senator Akpabio has always focussed on development and building people. He reiterated the resolve of the people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District to return Senator Akpabio back to the Senate to attract more development to the State.

“Some months back we gathered here and unanimously resolved that no man born of a woman from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District should contest for that position.

Yesterday at a gathering of Akwa Ibom people, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno publicly declared that if by going to the Senate in 2027 you will go and contest for Senate Presidency then you have the right to come out and buy the form. He said if you do not intend to contest as the President of the Senate, just go and rest that he doesn’t have the money to waste.

“Your Excellency congratulations, the people you’re carrying along show you’re a man of the people. You’re a man of uncommon grace. Wherever you go you make things happen . What we are witnessing today has never happened and I want to believe that the people of Akwa Ibom State and the people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District have today given you another term at the Senate,” he said.

Indeed there was a general consensus that the constituency briefing was the Mother of All Empowerment programme ever carried out by a Senator.

Ekong is Special Assistant, Media/Communication to the President of the Senate