COMMENTARY ON PROFILE OF SENATOR AKPABIO

COMMENTARY ON PROFILE OF SENATOR AKPABIO

By Tony Saviour

The life and times of Distinguished Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio no doubt serves as motivation to every person to make the best out of life, irrespective of the circumstances of their birth, and let their impact be felt for posterity’s sake.

Despite losing his father at a very tender age, and being singlehandedly brought up by his mother, Madam Lucy Obot Akpabio, little Akpabio was determined to succeed, and he showed signs of the leader in him when he performed creditably as Senior Prefect at the prestigious Federal Government College, Port Harcourt, and Speaker of the Students’ Parliament at the University of Calabar.

A lawyer by training, and a politician by calling, Akpabio showed signs of an outstanding leader when he served as Commissioner in three different ministries in the Obong Victor Attah”s administration, excelling wherever he went, thus becoming a front-runner in the gubernatorial election of 2007, beating 57 other aspirants to emerge flag-bearer of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.

With a campaign slogan, anchored on the theme, “Let Godswill Be Done”, the legal luminary turned politician went into the election proper, emerging victorious as he was duly elected governor of the state in 2007, and again in 2011.

As a two-term governor of Akwa Ibom State, spanning between 2007 and 2015, Senator Akpabio’s record of achievements serves as reference material for historians, who, for a long time will continue to dig deep to unravel the secret behind his widely celebrated success as state chief executive.

It is on record that Senator Akpabio worked tirelessly to change the state from a mere pedestrian entity, to a destination of choice, with the state becoming a Mecca of sorts as groups, and organisation took advantage of the scenic beauty and prevailing peace in the state to hold conferences here.

With the sobriquet, “Uncommon Transformation”, Akpabio in his words “approached development of the state with anger, a positive anger”, to change the narrative, rewrite history and take Akwa Ibom State to the outside world to prove, as he often would say, ” that something good can come out from Nazareth “. His first major task was to tackle decayed infrastructure which inundated the country’s 21st state. His approach was holistic. Among notable infrastructure standing to his credit are the Governor’s Lodge, Digital Governor’s Office, Banquet Hall, Deputy Governor’s Lodge, Ibom Airport, Ibom Tropicana Entertainment Centre, with wet and dry theme park, hotel and conference centre, E-Library, 4-Points by Sheraton Hotel, Ikot Ekpene, the Ikot Ekpene Plaza, as well as the 30,000 seater Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, among others.

Similarly, during his time at the Hilltop Mansion, Akpabio built four flyovers, bridges, and countless kilometres of roads including, the dualized Ekom Iman-Idoro-Ekit Itam road, Uyo-Abak dual carriage way, Abak-Ikot Ekpene dualised highway, Uyo-Ikot Ekpene highway, the list is endless.
As a man who has education running in his DNA, himself a Nephew of a one-time Federal Minister of Education in Nigeria in person of Dr. I.U. Akpabio, distinguished Senator Akpabio introduced the first-ever free and compulsory education policy in Akwa Ibom State, with schools enrolment tripling in public schools during his time.

It is also on record that the education sector in the state witnessed tremendous leverage during his tenure with outright construction or rehabilitation of dilapidated schools block, payment of WAEC fees totalling more than 600 million naira annually for students studying in public schools across the state. Payment of grants to indigenes of the state at the nation’s law schools, among other incentives to encourage educational pursuits.

Having served the mandatory two terms as governor, it was time to move on. And so in 2015, he contested and won the senate seat of the Akwa Ibom North West (Ikot Ekpene) Senatorial District to represent the district in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As an accomplished leader, loved by even persons who hold different political views, Senator Akpabio was nominated for for the position of senate minority leader by the South-Southcaucus of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), even as a first timer in the red chamber. This was immediately ratified by the caucus of the pdp in the senate and subsequently announced by the senate president.

In August 2018, Senator Akpabio made a political exodus which saw him resign his position as the Senate Minority Leader, and followed it up with his movement from thePDP to the All Progressive Congress. His defection was marked by Political rally at the Ikot Ekpene township stadium, Akwa Ibom State.

In July 2019, he was nominated by President Muhammadu buhari and screened by the Nigerian Senate for a Ministerial appointment.

This great son of Akwa Ibom State is among nominees who scaled through the senate hurdle and are being sworn in today.

As the distinguished senator, now Honourable Minister of the federal republic takes the oath of office and allegiance today, we pray God Almighty to grant him wisdom and good health to discharge his duty creditably to the glory of God and benefit of mankind.

Congratulations Uko Akwa Ibom.

[ Aired on Passion 94.5 FM, Uyo on August 21, 2019]