In view of the unprecedented economic hardship in the country, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, have called on Nigerians to be more patient, assuring that the economic policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu were the only way to build a stronger economy.
Both Akpabio and Wike spoke at the weekend during a
Thanksgiving Service organised at Koroma Tai Local Government Area of Rivers
state by Senator Barry Mpigi representing Rivers Southeast Senatorial District
to appreciate God for his electoral victory.
Akpabio, many senators, members of the House of
Representatives, Minister of Works, Dave Umahi; Minister of State for
Petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri, former ministers, a delegation from Akwa Ibom
led by Akwa Ibom State Deputy Governor, some Rivers State Cabinet members,
members of Rivers state House of Assembly, local government chairmen,
leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) were among dignitaries that graced the event.
Wike said though people complained that the decisions of President Tinubu were hard, they remained the only way to take the country to its destination, adding that the decisions to turnaround and address years of rot were not miracles expected to materialise within six months.
“I believe that God in his infinite mercy will give us the
strength to work and continue to support Mr. President. The decision of Mr.
President is hard but if we are patient at the end of the day we will get to
where we want to go.
“You want him to bring a policy to change something that had
spoilt many years ago within six months. Even if it is miracle, it is
difficult. What is required is give him support.
“I seriously believe in the Renewed Hope Agenda. We urge you
to believe in the Renewed Hope agenda. We are going to do everything to
continue to support Mr. President”.
The minister said most people in the country were always
quick to forget past incidents and recalled that governors and others, who won
their re-election at the Supreme Court recently heaped praises on Tinubu for
not interfering in their cases.
“I watched after the
Court verdicts of the election, everybody that came out would say I thank Mr.
President for not interfering. But immediately that expired people are saying a
different thing. I watched every governor after they thanked God the next
person was Mr. President. But just after
two weeks, everything evaporated. Now it is Mr . ‘President we are dying’.
Wike appealed to the people not to lose hope, adding that
the administration of the FCT through the support of President Tinubu was a
sign of better days ahead. “But don’t lose hope. Look at what we are doing in
Abuja today, it means that Mr. President will do better. It is a sign of good
things to come. People are saying Wike is doing well but it is because the
President is in support of it. The President is committed to seeing that
Nigerians have positive impacts in their lives”
Wike said about 85 per cent of persons, who secured the victories
at the past elections were still intact in his team saying with such a force,
he could no longer wait for the next general election in 2027.
He said nobody in his team in Rivers was afraid of
intimidation, noting that Rivers was uniquely united across party lines.
He commended the Senate President for giving an important
position of Senate Committee Chairmanship on Works to Senator Mpigi without
considering that he belongs to a minority party and praised Akpabio for uniting
the National Assembly after the election saying for the first time the two
chambers were in a robust relationship with the President.
“The most important thing is that all of us who made it
happen in 2023 about 85 per cent are still with us. All the council chairmen
are here. Nobody is afraid of intimidation and nobody will be intimidated.
“It is good to appreciate. I know what Barry has passed
through politically. I thank God he has come to appreciate God. I thank the
Senate President and the Senate for considering us worthy to head one of the
most important committees; Committee Chairman on Works.
“It has never happened for a minority party to be given such
position. You can go to sleep with your two eyes closed because Barry will not
disappoint you. We have always worked together.
“With the forces we have, I don’t know of anybody who will
challenge us. It is like tomorrow is 2027. For me is very far. I cannot wait.
The two leadership of the PDP and APC are here.
“Which state can boast of this kind of unity? It is only in
Rivers that you can find this unity. People don’t like it. So they do
everything possible to make sure we are divided. But since we know, we have
refused to be divided. This is the only state where the ruling party will win
for Presidency, the opposition will take the National Assembly in election that
happened the same time and the same day.
” This is what we call uncommon. This is the first time I
see no clear cut of party and that is how it is supposed to be. Party is a
vehicle that conveys you to your destination. When you get to where you are
going you come down and talk about governance.
“Insecurity doesn’t know which party you belong to. Hardship
doesn’t know the party you belong to. So, all of us must put our heads
together, think together and proffer solutions. And that is what is happening
at the leadership of the National Assembly.
” I love what you are doing. You know me very well if you
are not doing well I will tell you that you are not doing well. This is the
first time you see a robust relationship between the National Assembly and the
President”.
Also speaking, Akpabio in an analogy compared the poor
economic condition President Tinubu inherited to a bucket filled with foams
while underneath it is small quantity of water.
“God has been able to merge us together politically. What we
need now is economic rejuvenation and I believe strongly that through President
Ahmed Tinubu God will answer our prayer.
“Nigeria was like a foam inside a pail. As the foam has
filled the pail you think that it was water. The economic situation was tricky.
By the time you push your hands you will only touch water towards the bottom.
So the kind of economic mess we were in a lot of people do not understand.
“Like Obama would say you cannot know Washington until you
get to Washington. So by the time we went in, the economic situation was
terrible. We don’t even know what to charge the former Central Bank governor
with whether to charge him for putting foam on top of the pail or to charge him
for printing notes without income. I don’t know what we will charge him with.
“What we know is that we are here today because of the
actions and policies that they took and we recognise that but we are now
battling to ensure that Nigerians can sleep with their eyes closed and have
three square meals on their tables”.
He insisted that Tinubu’s policies were designed to
gradually give the country the desired economic footprints adding that such
feat would not happen overnight
“But be rest assured
that we campaigned for this job and we will not let you down. All we need is
patience. The rot that has happened n Nigeria for many years cannot be solved
within months”.
Akpabio appealed to Wike to take a journey in Ogoni land and
find a governor for Rivers that would match his achievements in the state.
“Wike after you, we will probably take a tour of Ogoniland
to find someone that will match your achievements. The governor that will
probably match your achievements will probably come from Ogoni.
“Barry Mpigi is thanking God for the chairmanship of Senate
Committee and also thanking God for the future of Ogoniland. One of the
hallmarks of leadership is loyalty. You cannot be a good leader unless you are
a good follower. Wike followed all past leaders in Rivers”.
Addressing Wike, he said: “I know you followed Dr. Odili
very well. There was a time my former good friend was in Ghana and you were
running around here with lawyers. You were the first uncommon to have the
pronouncement of the Supreme Court making someone a governor without the person
going for an election.
“On getting there he turned around abd say ‘why will this
man be this powerful’, he had to fight
you. We were not surprised when in 2023 you said agreement is agreement.. If
you don’t want to adhere to agreement on election day come and win in Rivers. I
want to thank you for the support for Asiwaju.
“It is your support that had enabled the Southsouth today to
produce the first Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. It is in the same
election you produced the President from the APC and same election you produced
PDP National Assembly members and House of Reps. I still don’t understand it.
“I can imagine why you want 2027 to be like tomorrow. Barry
Mpigi we know you because you have a boss you must fall back on. You will
continue to bring glory to Rivers”.
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