Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, has set a new template for constituency briefing and empowerment in Ibom State, empowering his constituents with item estimated at several million of naira.
More than 500 people drawn from the district benefited from the lavish donation of cars, buses, generating sets, computer machines, sewing machines and cassava processing machines, tricycles (keke), grinding machines and industrial machines among several others in the empowerment programme described as the “mother of all empowerment”.
In the same vein, over 250 students drawn from higher institutions across the country also benefitted from the senator’s scholarship schemes of N50, 000 per student, while 22 students were granted bursary wards of N100, 000 each per year of study.
Speaking at the occasion, which held at the Ikot-Ekpene Township Stadium, Senator Akpabio lauded the people of Ikot-Ekpene Senatorial District for their support during and after the election.
He stated that it was their support that had enabled him to stand tall at the hallow chamber.
He added that the “the voices you hear every day is not the voice of Godswill Akpabio but the voices of the people of Ikot-Ekpene senatorial district.”
The senator assured his constituents he would continue to represent them well at the National Assembly and also solicited their support for 2019 senatorial election.
He called on the people of the district to rally round the state governor, Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, in his second term bid as the state governor.
Akpabio said he had come to close the era of absentee senators in the state, where people voted for their senator and never saw them again until after four years.
According to him, the constituency briefing and empowerment programme was not an avenue for political mobilisation but a time to show appreciation to his district for their support during the election.
“We are not here to beat our chest, we have not come to mobilize any person for votes, we have nothing to fear, and we don’t have political enemies. In 2015, you gave men a shield and have returned with the shield to you to tell you thank you for your support,” the senator further stated.
Akpabio commended Governor Emmanuel for maintaining the tempo of good governance in the state and called on the people of the district and Akwa Ibom state in general to support him for 2019.
In his good will message, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who was represented by Senate Minority Whip, Senator Phillip Ajudua, commended Senator Akpabio for connecting with his people.
He also thanked the people of Ikot-Ekpene senatorial district for their support and encouraged them to continue to support their leaders at all levels.
In his remarks at the occasion, the State Governor, Mr. Emmanuel who welcomed the visitors expressed appreciation to Senator Akpabio for connecting with his constituents on a daily basis.
Governor Emmanuel remarked that Nigeria was only sick economically not politically, stressing that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) would continue to maintain its leading position in the country.
Speaking on behalf of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Caucus in the Senate, Senator Dino Melaye lauded Governor Udom Emmanuel for his excellent record of performance in the state.
“I went round yesterday and I asked civil servants all over, una don collect alert for June and all the civil servants said yes we have been paid, and I started crying for my own state, Kogi. I say so your governor does not owe! In fact, God bless you round about, we in Kogi we need anointing from you.”
He also commended Senator Akpabio for setting the pace in effective representation.
“The truth is that Senator Akpabio is doing well and it is also a fundamental truth that the Governor of Akwa Ibom is doing well.”
Expressing his happiness, Melaye said on behalf of the APC caucus in the Senate, he expressed his appreciation to Akpabio.
Melaye described Akpabio as “a Legislator par excellence,” and added that, “we saw yesterday gigantic projects embarked upon by his government and we can see the continuation by the current governor.”
He said irrespective of party affiliation, the APC caucus in the Senate was strongly in support of Governor Emmanuel and Senator Akpabio, and urged the people of Akwa Ibom to support the duo.
The beneficiaries of the empowerment programme, were carefully selected from the 25 wards of the senatorial district by a central planning committee headed by Sir Emem Akpabio.
In a message sequel to the event, the committee had released a statement saying the beneficiaries’ selection process was fair and truly very representational, while beneficiaries for the scholarship programme had to go through an aptitude test.
