Former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has disclosed his resolve to bring his experience to bear in a bid to transform Nigeria into greatness within the comity of nations if voted as president.
Akpabio, former governor of Akwa Ibom State, spoke during his visit to Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Friday, stressing that the number one position required quality leadership, examples of which he showed at different times while in the saddle as governor, as a senator and as minister.
He said that Nigeria would witness an enviable transformation if and when elected as president in the 2023 elections.
The former governor, who was in Oyo State to meet with the leadership of the All Progressives Congress and delegates of the state chapter of the party, said that Akwa Ibom was transformed into an enviable height under his administration, and far more developmental initiatives would be achieved for the entire country.
He stressed that “Our country is in dire need of a leadership that will reshape the economy and create jobs for our teeming youths. With job creation, the issue of banditry and other related vices will become a thing of the past.
“As a-two term governor of Akwa Ibom State, the achievements are there as testament to my ability to transform the country if given the opportunity. As a Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, we were able to address the problem of insecurity through the introduction of Amnesty Programme.
“As at today, the issue of militancy is gradually becoming a thing of the past. I am here to solicit votes while I am promising not to let you down.”
In his previous capacity, Akpabio said, “My little effort in Akwa-Ibom as a governor transformed the state into an enviable state among states in Nigeria. These efforts in Akwa-Ibom cut across all sectors.
“I followed the footprint of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo on education by declaring free education in Akwa-Ibom State. I spent N100 per term per child in primary schools and N300 per term per child in secondary schools.”
Acknowledging the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari on security, Akpabio pledged to tackle insecurity, if elected as president, stressing that “I will involve the traditional institution and other relevant stakeholders in achieving this. We must give traditional rulers and other stakeholders roles to play in tackling insecurity.”
He added that he would ensure national integration and promotion of moral ethos as a means to fostering unity and discipline in the country.
“I remain a Nigerian and hope to bequeath Nigeria to my children,” he said and urged the Oyo APC delegates to consider integrity, credentials, antecedents and achievements in picking the party’s presidential candidate.
In his address on the occasion, Senator Teslim Folarin, the APC governorship candidate in Oyo State, said he was the one who asked Akpabio to visit state delegates in Ibadan, given their numerical strength.
“We have 99 delegates, the third highest in the country, so those who need our votes come here to see us.
“For us, those aspirants who are wooing delegates through newspapers are not serious aspirants. Among all the aspirants from outside South-West who have visited us, we will support you,” he said.
Speaking earlier, the coordinator of the Senator Godswill Akpabio Presidential Team, Dr Aliyu Modibbo, said the choice of who becomes the president of the country was very important.
Modibbo, who is a former Minister of Federal Capital Territory, said such a consideration was important because of the need to elect people with electoral value and imbued with vast experience like Akpabio.
Moddibbo described Akpabio, who was received by Senator Folarin, the state party chairman, Mr Isaac Omodewu; youth leader, women leaders and other members of the executive of the party, as one of the most experienced of the APC presidential aspirants, having served as a commissioner, governor, senator and minister.
The APC presidential aspirant was accompanied to the meeting by a former governor of Taraba State, Garba Umar; General Garba Audu and Mr Sylvester Okonkwo, among others.
