Akpabio meets Buhari, defends Senate presidency ambition
Former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and now senator-elect for the Ikot-Ekpene Senatorial District, Godswill Akpabio, has informed the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), of his intent to be President of the 10th Senate.
Akpabio, who disclosed this after meeting with the President at his official residence at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, on Sunday, also promised to work closely with the incoming administration in the interest of the youth.
The meeting held only a few hours after another Senate presidential aspirant, Abdul’Aziz Yari, visited Buhari and urged the governing All Progressives Congress to allow the North to produce the next Senate helmsman having contributed substantial votes towards the victory of the President-elect Bola Tinubu.
When asked about his plans if elected to man the third highest office in the land, Akpabio said, “A lot of reforms! Akpabio is known as an uncommon transformer. Akpabio is known as a man who is results-oriented.
“You will recall that when I was a governor, I brought a lot of innovations to bear, infrastructurally, educationally, socially and otherwise and also in terms of human empowerment.
“I intend to bring a lot of reforms into the Senate, in the ways and manners we do business, to assist the next administration to succeed. We will be very thorough in doing everything; we’ll bring about loyalty to the Constitution, we’ll bring about loyalty to Nigerians.”
The former Akwa Ibom State governor said his Senate presidency would tackle issues through legislations to empower Nigerians, particularly the youth.
He noted that “With the restiveness that we are seeing across the nation, we’ll do our best to make good laws and to assist the administration to bring about policies that will empower the youths of the country.
“I made that promise even on the convention day that being a man who used to turn boys into men and who still does, that I will like to work with the incoming President, who has also shown that example in Lagos State as a governor and thereafter as a leader of the APC in Nigeria.
“He has continued to turn boys into men and as the President of the Country, after his swearing-in, I expect that he continue to do so.”
The senator-elect said he also used the visit to thank the President for giving him the opportunity to serve as Minister in his Cabinet, revealing that he came to present his Certificate of Return to Buhari.
