The Senate President, Senator Goodwill Akpabio, has explained that the regional commissions set up across the country by President Bola Tinubu are aimed at the development of the regions and the empowerment of the people.
Akpabio disclosed this at Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, during his Constituency Briefing/Empowerment, noting that the President has touched many lives through continuous constituency projects across the country.
Akpabio, however, urged Nigerians to be patient with President Bola Tinubu as he grapples with fixing the nation’s economy and touching the lives of more Nigerians across the ethnic divide.
He said Nigeria was on life support before Tinubu was elected as President in 2023, adding that despite the ugly situation, the President was determined to fix the battered economy.
“President Tinubu met a very bad 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 at the end of the day, we will move the country forward. He did it in Lagos before, and he will do it again in Nigeria. Just give him time; 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, after becoming president and seeing the level of the economy that Emefiele left behind, are you excited? He said, Well, I’m determined to change the situation,” Akpabio stated.
He mentioned that Tinubu has shown so much love to the South East by giving a key ministry—the Ministry of Works—to them and signing the South East Development Commission into an act of parliament. He explained that every other regional development commission would be signed in no distant time.
“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 on the basis of votes but on the need basis.
“The South East has a lot of ecological problems; the South East has very poor 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 Ministry.
“Akwa Ibom is sitting on gas, all the way from Utapete down to Ibeno. Above all, the President allowed our state to produce the No. 3 Citizen, the Senate President. The last time we had such an opportunity was in 1979. President Tinubu deserves all our support.”
While distributing items such as bags of rice, fleets of cars, generating sets, deep freezers, tractors, tricycle vans, tricycles and mini-buses, motorcycles, sewing machines, make-up kits, and two hundred thousand naira cash transfers to 2,000 undergraduates, among others, Akpabio said the gesture was supported by the President to thank the people for their votes and support.
The Senate President commended Governor Umo Eno for his peaceful disposition, saying he would reciprocate the kind gesture of the Governor during Christmas when he sent 1,000 bags of rice to the APC in the state by sending 1,500 bags of rice to the PDP. He directed that the PDP Chairman should get the rice immediately for his members.
“I want to appreciate 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 affiliations. Even during Christmas, the Governor sent 1,000 bags of rice to the APC in the state, and because of that, I request that the PDP Chairman come forward and take 1,500 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, and tricycles for those bringing palm produce from the villages. In fashion, we have sewing machines, make-up kits, etc. For beneficiaries, use your items well,” he said.
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