The Asiwaju/Shettima Great Minds has stressed the need for Senator Godswill Akpabio to be voted as the president of the incoming 10th Senate.
At its press conference in Lagos, while addressing the media men, ASGM expressed optimism of a better Nigeria if the former governor of Akwa Ibom state is given the opportunity to preside over the incoming 10th senate and work with the president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“The Asiwaju/Shettima Great Minds (ASGM) is one of the foremost support groups which independently campaigned across the length and breadth of the country and secured victory for the APC in the 2023 general elections at the Federal and State levels. The group is comprised of like-mind progressive Nigerians from across the globe with its base in Nigeria.
“Following an exhaustive and painstaking analysis from its regular post-elections weekly meetings held on the 11th May, 2023, the ASGM Executive arm profiled the progressive qualities and characteristics of potential aspirants jostling for the plum Senate job, and unanimously endorsed and agreed to raise resources to galvanize support for His Excellency, Sen. Godswill Obot Akpabio as the best fit to lead the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The group added that “Akpabio’s endorsement is not unconnected to the fact that he has demonstrated tremendous respect and loyalty to the APC, the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and more importantly, religious balancing of the country’s presiding officers.
“Recall, Sen. Akpabio set the ball rolling at the tensely contested but convincingly won APC Presidential party primary by stepping down for our National Leader. His boldness to step down culminated to several others taking a bow for Asiwaju’s candidature to fly the party’s Presidential flag.
Sen. Akpabio’s uncommon leadership trajectory and developmental stride, when he held sway as the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom state and his legislative brilliance at the 8th Senate, have convincingly placed him in a vantage position to lead the 10th Senate.
“Furthermore, for the APC to consolidate and score a vital political point in the south-south geo-political zone, Sen. Akpabio’s Senate Presidency is the best bet in harnessing the south-south region into the folds of progressive governance of our great party (APC).
“It will be a political masterstroke to cede the Senate President to the oil-rich region which has not produced a Senate President in the political history of Nigeria.
“It is therefore with the utmost concern for national cohesion and stability that we crave the indulgence of Senators-elect to align with Sen. Akpabio to lead the 10th Senate for a prosperous Nigeria.”
The group, however, declared its unflinching support for Senator Godswill Akpabio while imploring the Senators elected under APC, and other parties to support his election as the 10th Senate President of the National Assembly.
Meanwhile, the convener of ASGM and the APC woman leader in diaspora(UK branch), Chief Mrs Hadjia Aolat Oluwatomisin Sule has described Sen. Akpabio as the only leader among the senators of the incoming 10th Senate who is qualified to lead the red chamber.
The APC women leader while buttressing her support for Akpabio highlighted some of his achievements in the past.
According to her, some of the accomplishments of Akpabio include: salvaging and completing the Ibom international airport, reported to have the longest runways in Nigeria, Free and Compulsory Education, Free Medical/Health Care to Children and the Elderly, Building an International stadium which was later named after him (Godswil Obot Akpabio International Stadium) by his successor in 2015, Payment of 13th Month Salary to civil servants fittingly dubbed AkpabioMber, Building of Four Flyovers, Building of the new Government House. Provision of Civil Service Buses which are still conveying civil servants from their respective LGAs to Uyo today, Building of the 21st Century Anniversary Hospital in Uyo, Building of new Ikot Ekpene Correctional Facility and many more.”
The National Coordinator of Asiwaju-Shettima Great Minds, Alhaji Lateef Bello, in an interview with our correspondent expressed optimism concerning Akpabio’s presidency at the 10th Senate. He said the former Akwa Ibom governor possesses the charisma needed to ensure a better Nigeria through a good legislation.
“There is no doubt that Akpabio is the best man for the job of the senate president at the 10th senate. We all know his worth and his level of leadership at the red chamber. He is one of the few people that this country needs in the coming administration. “
Bello who described Akpabio as “Jagaban of the Senate”, implored the senators elect for 10th Senate to consider the former governor as their president, adding that this will birth a good time at the upper chamber.
On his part, the National Secretary of Asiwaju-Shettima Great Minds(ASGM) Hon. Yomi Adamson asserted that with the great vision and developmental stride of the President-Elect while at the helm of affairs of Lagos State and Same vision accomplished by Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio as the Governor of Akwa-Ibom State, there is no doubt that such visionary trend will not only play a major role in developmental speed and a peaceful coexistence amongst the ethnic groups in Nigeria.
Recall that Akpabio became governor of Akwa Ibom State in 2007 having defeated 57 other aspirants in the 2006 primaries.
In 2019, President Buhari appointed him as Minister, Niger Delta Affairs and he ensured that the region remained peaceful while various stakeholders were frequently occupied with ways to move the region forward for its development.
