News
Akpabio: The Making of The Peoples Parliament
By Anietie Ekong
On his inauguration on June 13, 2023 as the President of the 10th Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio had left no one in doubt that the 10th Assembly would work to promote the interest and wellbeing of the Nigerian people. Senator Akpabio affirmed that his leadership shall be inclusive, that his shall be a servant-leadership and uncommon.
In his inaugural speech, Senator Akpabio had boldly declared: “On my part, Distinguished Senators, I affirm that this leadership shall be yours. It shall be a servant-leadership; it shall be an uncommon leadership. To the Nigerian people, I say this: your dreams, your aspirations and your wellbeing will be at the heart of everything we will do in this Senate.
“It is time now to go forward with the task set before us as a collective body – the promulgation of laws and enactments for the wellbeing and security of the country and as a check on the executive arm of the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in our oversight functions. Together, we shall reach and surpass the expectations of the Nigerian people regarding us, and our roles in building a better, safer, more inclusive, prosperous, efficient and ethical country,” he said.
Indeed in the last one year, the Senate under the leadership of Senator Godswill Akpabio has demonstrated an uncommon zeal towards aligning with the goals and aspirations of the Nigerian people and has worked hard through motions, bills and resolutions in promoting the interest and welfare of the common people. The 10th Senate has been unwavering in its commitment to discharging its statutory roles of legislation, representation and oversight for the benefit of the Nigerian people. Under the leadership of Senator Akpabio, the 10th Senate has recorded commendable achievements that have contributed to the consolidation of Nigeria’s democratic process, and which calls for celebration.
It is noteworthy that the election of the leadership of the 10th Assembly attracted nationwide interest. The campaigns were no less intense as the aspirants traversed the length and breadth of the country to solicit for support for their candidacy from traditional rulers to elder statesmen, from socio-political organizations to even religious leaders. It was as if the nation was going into another general election. The country was on edge simply for the election of the presiding officers of the legislature which had not drawn much interest from the general populace before then.
However with the support of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senator Akpabio and Senator Barau Jubrin were elected the President and Deputy President of the Senate respectively. The Senators seem to have put their political differences behind and have forged ahead with an agenda to promote legislation that would bring succour to the Nigerian people.
There is a general consensus among the Senators across political divides that Senator Akpabio is a leader who listens to the voices of his colleagues and one who values their input, opinions and concerns to foster an atmosphere of inclusivity and collaboration. The Senate’s unity behind Senator Akpabio reinforces the notion that he commands the respect and support of his fellow Senators. A united Senate, working together towards a common goal, is crucial in achieving legislative objectives that benefit the Nigerian people.
In identifying with the Nigerian people, the 10th Senate has devoted more time through bills and motions to what matters most to the Nigerian people: security and the economy. It is not a secret that Nigerians have faced tough times with the removal of fuel subsidy by the Tinubu administration. Even the President admits as much. The October Cadre Harmonise Analysis on food insecurity had projected that in 2024, Nigeria was expected to see about 26.5 million people grappling with high levels of food insecurity. But the government has worked very hard to cushion the effect of the subsidy removal and provide some succour to the Nigerian people.
To ameliorate the hardship that Nigerians have faced, the Senate had taken several measures to bring some relief to the citizenry. The legislature have had several interface with the economic team of the Federal Government to tackle the country’s poor economy, hunger, and depreciation of the value of the Naira. Part of the measures that the Senate has adopted is the motion that urged the Federal Government to introduce food stamps as an interim measure to address food insecurity in the country.
Food stamps is a supplemental nutrition assistance programme that provides food purchasing assistance for low and no-income people to help them maintain adequate nutrition and health. This measure is aimed at cushioning the resultant hardships and sufferings on the poor. Speaking on the motion which was proposed by the Chief Whip, Senator Ali Ndume, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau said, “The Senate is open in acting on issues that will help all Nigerians. So the entire Senate commends Ndume for this motion.”
Closely linked with economic issues that the nation has faced, is the issue of insecurity across the country. As a responsive Assembly, the 10th Senate has not shied away from taking measures that can help improve the security situation in the country. It is generally accepted that insecurity in the country has affected food production as farmers can hardly access their farms for fear of being kidnapped or murdered. And the Senate has been greatly concerned about this.
The Senate under the leadership of Senator Akpabio has had several engagements with security chiefs to stem the tide of insecurity across the country. Hardly any week passes without the issue of bringing improved security to the country would not dominate the order paper of the Senate plenary. The lawmakers have often expressed concern over the growing spate of killings, kidnapping and ransom payments, banditry, and other forms of criminality throughout the country.
It is generally believed that insecurity is closely linked with illiteracy, unemployment, porous borders, proliferation of the country with small arms and light weapons, poor tactics in intelligence gathering, and non-compliance with the rule of law. This is why the Senate has often called on the Federal Government to re-engineer the country’s security architecture to make it more responsive.
Due to the yearning of Nigerians, the Senate has also been in the forefront of the advocacy for the establishment of the State Police. According to Senator Akpabio, “We have a responsibility to collaborate with the Executive and contribute our ideas to ensure that our constituents and ourselves, including our children can sleep with their two eyes closed. Security is everybody’s business, and without security, we cannot have progress. We are determined to make laws and pass resolutions aimed at ensuring rapid progress of the country and the immediate improvement of the Nigerian economy. This will not be possible without a secured nation.”
Just like many other Nigerians have felt, the poor state of roads in Nigeria has also been of concern to the 10th Senate. The outcome was the setting up of “an ad-hoc committee to come up with a compendium of all the affected Federal roads and erosion sites across the country either awarded but abandoned by contractors or have not been awarded at all, to be forwarded to the Executive Arm for urgent intervention.” The committee travelled across the length and breadth of the country and it is expected that their findings and recommendations will lead to improve road network across the country.
It is expected that with the support of his colleagues, the strength of his collaborative relationship with President Tinubu, and his avowed commitment to national development, Nigerians eagerly anticipate further positive impacts the 10thSenate will make in shaping the nation’s future.
Ekong, is Special Assistant (Media/Communication) to the President of the Senate.
General Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff, has assured that all security challenges facing the nation will be effectively addressed by the year’s end.
This statement was made during the launch of attack drones and the demonstration of locally produced bombs, developed by a homegrown technology firm.
The event was attended by security specialists and senior government officials, as General Musa showcased the indigenous Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to the audience.
Accompanied by Ajao Adewale, the Federal Capital Territory Commissioner of Police, and Caleb Mutfwang, the Governor of Plateau State, General Musa emphasized the ongoing bureaucratic obstacles in acquiring military equipment from abroad.
Governor Mutfwang stressed the urgency for decisive measures against insecurity, calling on leaders to prevent any entity within the nation from possessing military capabilities.
The operational features of the UAVs were also demonstrated, with General Musa expressing satisfaction with this advancement, labeling it a pivotal step in combating insecurity in the country.
A coalition of youth organisations has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to reconsider its wanted tag on socialite, Dr Aisha Sulaiman Achimugu, OFR.
The organisations, Niger Delta Youth Council for Good Governance and Middle Belt Youth Stakeholders’ Initiative said this in a joint press statement they issued on Thursday in Abuja.
According to them, the declaration of Achimugu wanted by the anti-corruption agency came to them as a rude shock.
The joint statement was signed by Comrade Emma Niboro and Ali Ameh for Niger Delta Youth Council for Good Governance and Middle Belt Youth Stakeholders’ Initiative, respectively.
They described Achimugu as a dedicated friend of the youths, who had always shown commitment to the welfare and care of the downtrodden.
According to the youth coalition, “we know the Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, as a man who came with utmost zeal to sanitize the agency. He has already demonstrated this and we are proud of his achievements so far.
“However, we urge him to resist pressure from politicians, which is a plague that has dwarfed EFCC for several years of its existence.
“The commission had hitherto remained a tool for politicians to undue their perceived political foes and this has always rubbed off on the credibility of the agency.
“The case of Achumugu doesn’t appear to be different in any way, as the haste with which she was declared wanted showed there is a hand of Esau and voice of Jacob.
“Our appeal is that the commission should withdraw the wanted tag on her and give her ample time to report to the commission, as she has never been indicted of any offence whether in Nigeria or outside the country.”
While noting that Achimugu is a global figure, they added that they can always vouch for her integrity.
“We know her, she has always been of immense help to the youths and other members of the society.
“Her closeness to certain politicians should not be used as a tool to persecute or harass her,” the youths further stated.
The Supreme Court has overturned the Court of Appeal’s decision that recognised Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP). In a decisive ruling, a five-member panel declared that the Court of Appeal lacked the legal authority to determine the party’s leadership matters.
In a unanimous verdict, the highest court in the land stated that the Court of Appeal had no jurisdiction over the matter. The panel observed that since the case revolved around the internal leadership structure of the Labour Party, it fell outside the jurisdiction of the courts.
The ruling reinforced the long-standing principle that leadership disputes within political parties should be resolved internally, rather than through judicial intervention.
The Supreme Court stressed that leadership struggles within political parties are purely internal matters. According to legal principles, courts should not interfere in such issues, as they fall under the party’s constitution and governance framework. By upholding this legal doctrine, the apex court reaffirmed that political parties must settle their leadership crises independently.
The Supreme Court upheld the appeal lodged by Senator Nenadi Usman and a fellow appellant, ruling that their claims were valid. Their appeal challenged the earlier judgment, arguing that it was flawed due to jurisdictional overreach. After thorough legal scrutiny, the Supreme Court found merit in their argument and ruled in their favour.
The legal battle also involved a cross-appeal filed by supporters of Julius Abure, who sought to challenge the decision against their leader. However, the Supreme Court dismissed this cross-appeal, declaring it unsubstantiated and lacking merit. The ruling effectively ended the legal contest over the Labour Party’s chairmanship, cementing the judiciary’s stance on non-interference in party leadership disputes.