By Dr. Dornclaimz Enamhe
In the past few months, the buzz for who leads the upper chamber of the National Assembly-the Senate, has garnered a momentous buzz.
As the D-Day dawns, Sen. Godswill Obot Akpabio has, despite all the artillery thrown at him, remained the leader of the pack of aspirants contesting for the Senate presidency.
I have watched with philosophical calmness the goings-on in the race for Senate Presidency soon after the certificate of return collections and despite not being a Senator-elect, I want to consolidate on my preferred choice.
Elsewhere in my interventions, I have earlier made bold to appeal to the leadership of the ruling party to invest in the South-South while looking at the office of the Senate President and I must commend the Leadership of the APC for making the move to produce a senate president from the South-South. Indeed, the APC NWC has not only approved the slot for the South-South, but has zeroed in on HE Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio CON as their choice.
Beyond zoning and with utmost respect to the others who are jostling for the job and seeming to battle the APC’s zoning formula and the choice of Akpabio, I believe it is only those who have not taken their time to research on the weight and value of the aspirants, that are still on the fence.
Sen. Godswill Akpabio, is indeed an uncommon leader. His watchword since his early foray into the political strata has been patriotism. As the Speaker of Parliament of the University of Calabar where I met him as a fresher, he has not failed to marvel those he led, with his patriotic zeal of always ensuring the people are taken care of.
His carriage and command of events have ensured that he remains one of the most celebrated and most accepted former student leader the University of Calabar ever produced.
He was also able to replicate this shine as a leader of NANS and as one of those who were able to stand tall as a former student leader.
His short stay in the telecom industry where he left an indelible mark in Lagos cannot be over emphasised.
Sen. Akpabio didn’t start with the HE Obong Attah’s Executive council but on joining them, he changed the narrative. As Commissioner for Local government, he reinvented the ministry and totally overhauled the local government structure and left it an example to emulate in the whole country.
As Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio brought pride to his people. His emergence abolished the era of “Okons” as gatemen and “Ekaettes” as house helps as Akwa Ibom provided jobs for her teaming youths and a socio-economic structure that is second to none.
As Governor Akpabio beat the frustration of leaving very early every time to catch an early morning flighys from Calabar when he built the Uyo airport.
He also holds the record of building perhaps the best state-owned stadium in Nigeri-the nest of Champions in Uyo.
His time as Minister of the Niger Delta is one that the people of the South-South has praised as the best in their quest for economic emancipation.
In all assignments he has undertaken in his adult live. Akpabio has demonstrated a will to bring common good to a greater number at all times. It is the quest to help enact the laws that will bring common good to a greater number of Nigerians that drives Akpabio’s quest to lead the 10th Senate.
Akpabio is that man I can authoritatively say, will outperform all former Senate Presidents if given the seat. His ways are truly uncommon.
-Dr. Dorncklaimz Enamhe writes from UNICAL
