Senate Presidency: Afe Annang Urges Tinubu To Reciprocate Akpabio’s Goodwill
The Apex socio-cultural organization of Annang people worldwide, Afe Annang has thrown its weight behind one of her prominent sons, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio by appealing to the other 108 distinguished Senators of the 10th Senate to massively support and elect Senator Akpabio as the Senate President.
In an Executive meeting of Afe Annang held at the Afe Secretariat, Ebibit Afaha Obong, Abak Local Government Area Tuesday, the group in a unanimous resolution and declaration endorsed by His Majesty, Blaise Udofia.
Awakama, Itai Afe Annang and Rt Hon Sunny Udom, National Publicity Secretary, Afe Annang appealed to the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to, in his famed kind-heartedness, reciprocate Senator Akpabio’s goodwill and foresight as he was the first co-aspirant to step down for him causing the bandwagon effect for others to step down and ensure his victory at the primaries at Eagles Square, Abuja in May 2022.
Afe Annang also noted that Senator Akpabio is eminently qualified in terms of zoning, national and international connections and networking, experienced in good governance, and past political performance records.
According to the group, “As far as zoning is concerned the South-South stands out as the zone to beat as no Senate President has ever been produced by the zone since after the late Senator Joseph Wayas left the office in 1983 – 40 years ago.
Afe Annang further highlighted that as a ranking APC Senator and former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio also a son-in-law to the South-East should be trusted to carry the South-East and other geo-political zones along as Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The group added the need for the balancing of the Muslim/Muslim ticket of the Executive arm and Muslim Chief Justice of Nigeria in the Judiciary Arm with a Christian Senate President is of paramount importance for national unity, cohesion and religious inclusion. Senator Godswill Akpabio, a Christian, therefore fits squarely into this arrangement and should be supported by all well-meaning members of the 10th Senate.
The group recalled, “It is considered that our sister zone, the South-East has produced 5 Senate Presidents (one from each of its 5 states) in an unbroken back-to-back stream of 16 years in this Fourth Republic alone, all with the support of the South-South; then the South-East should take this as a payback period to support the South-South for their turn”.
“For the President-elect, it is also reciprocal to reward the loyalty of the South-South which gave him about 800,000 votes on February 25, 2023 In addition, Senator Akpabio’s sweeping victory on February 25, 2023, also ensured that the President-elect gained 33 per cent votes which is more than the constitutional requirement of 25 per cent in Akwa Ibom State,” the group concluded.
