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’s covered terraces and field area were filled with enthusiastic constituents from across the 10 Local Government Areas that comprise the senatorial district and beyond who came to witness what they called “an uncommon empowerment programme.”
With the empowerment items and equipment entirely on display in the stadium’s field area, the overflow of those who couldn’t access the stadium was massive. Upon gaining access into the stadium when he saw the displayed items, one constituent quipped, “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
As the man of the moment, Senator Akpabio made his grand entry into the arena, and the already charged atmosphere and supporters went hysterical. He had come to the people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District and Akwa Ibom State to report his stewardship’s progress as their representative and President of the Senate. And he did not disappoint.
The items and equipment 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 boost economic activities in the area further. Over 2000 students received cash transfers of N200,000 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 its vital role in the community.
He acknowledged the importance of traditional rulers in maintaining peace, stability, and cultural heritage in their respective domains. According to him, traditional rulers will always benefit from 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 in 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 and 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 terrible 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 we will move the country forward at the end of the day. He did it in Lagos before and will do it again in Nigeria. Just give him time, and 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, if, if, after becoming the President and seeing the level of the economy that Emefiele left behind, he was 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 governor’s kind gesture during Christmas when he sent 1000 bags of rice to APC in the State by sending 1,500 bags of rice to the PDP. He also directed that the PDP Chairman get the rice immediately for his members.
“I want to express my appreciation to 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 the state APC, and because of that, I requested that the PDP chairman 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 fast-track grassroots development in the country.
The Senate President said, “We decided to create a 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, which is already signed, and the South West Development Commission is 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 based on votes but of needs.
“The Southeast has a lot of ecological problems and deplorable 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 them a key ministry, the Ministry of Works, and signing the South East Development Commission into an Act of Parliament, even as he explained that every other regional development Commission would be signed soon.
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 based on votes but on the basis of the needs.
“The South East has a lot of ecological problems, the South East has deplorable 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 the gas 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 see 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 had 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 the 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. Today, we are here to witness another kind of transformation by his giving back to society, this time around giving back to those 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 see 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, and 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 choosing Senator Akpabio as their leader. “In the course of my political ministry, 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 a quality job. As your Governor, he built the number one stadium not just for Nigeria but for the entire continent. 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 by what I see here today because I know that Senator Akpabio is known for doing uncommon things, which 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 Senator Akpabio’s leadership. “The President of the Senate does not just represent the APC. He describes the entire people of Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria.
“Among the items he presents today, he has made provisions for all political parties. It is for all citizens of the State irrespective of 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 to 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.
For his part, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) Obong Emem Ekperikpe Ekpo said that from his days as a Commissioner to his present position as the President of the Senate, Senator Akpabio has always focused on development and building people. He reiterated the people’s resolve of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District to return Senator Akpabio 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 that position.
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.
“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 given you another term in the Senate today,” he said.
Indeed, there was a consensus that the constituency briefing was the Mother of All Empowerment programme ever carried out by a Senator.
*Ekong is a Special Assistant, Media/Communication to the President of the Senate.
