By Oke Aruleba @Deprof
Making a foray into political writing in a highly volatile political space like ours could be challenging. Yes, it is usually a hard row to hoe given the fact that a pen-pusher’s take on any political discourse must be devoid of a predilection for sentimentality and parochialism.
It is a truism that every outset of a new government must generate a beehive of activities of politicians who will be back in the trenches, jostling for political appointments: some of these lobbyists are good intentioned while many others are just self-seeking political mistletoes.
No doubt, consultations, lobbying and horse-trading are currently in top-gear.
The choice of the next Senate President is no cake-walk as it requires tact, grit and political savviness on the part of the incoming President. The ruling party (APC) must not again be caught unawares by surreptitious political operations of “coupists” in the Red Chambers.
In summary, the cloak-and-dagger intrigues of the inordinately ambitious party members and the opposition that manifested in the Saraki-Dogara’s emergence as the leaders of the 8th National Assembly should no longer be allowed.
The one-million dollar question is: who wears the toga of leadership of the 10th National Assembly?
The answer to the above is not far-fetched as the APC party is blessed with men and women of high integrity and requisite experience to stir the affairs of the 10th National Assembly to a successful end.
It is axiomatic that big glittery fish are rarities in the ocean.
Given the urgency of the so much needed national reconstruction, a trusted, competent and experienced glittery fish among the school of fish in the Red Chambers to propel the 10th Red Chambers into a stable and a hitch- free orbit.
The candidates jostling for the coveted Senate President seat are :
Senator Godswill Akpabio (APC, Akwa Ibom North-West); incumbent Senate President, Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe North); Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East); Senator Abdul- Aziz Yari (APC, Zamfara); Senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North); Senator Jibrin Barau (APC Kano North); Deputy Senate leader, Senator Abdul Ningi (APC, Bauchi Central); and first-time Senators such as the Edo State former governor, Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North), and Governor David Umahi (APC, Ebonyi South) who are insinuated to be interested in joining the race for the Senate President.
Scaling the Hurdle of the Senate’s Ranking Rule:
It is remarkable that the ranking rule or order of ascension to the Senate President’s position stipulates that a Senator must meet the following conditions:
i) Senators returning based on the number of times reelected;
ii) Senators who were members of the House of Representatives,
iii) Senators elected for the first time.
The Zoning Arrangement:
If the APC’s zoning arrangement is anything to go by, the South-east and the South-south are most favoured to produce the next Senate President.
With historical precision, the South-east geo-political zone ( Imo, Anambra, Ebonyin, Enugu, and Abia have had several shots at the Senate Presidency of Nigeria from 1960 till today. But South-south has had only two Senate Presidents in the persons of Chief Dennis Osadebay and Dr Joseph Wayas.
A graphic representation of the above assertion will finally lay to rest any dissenting views:
Nnamdi Azikiwe, 1960, NCNC.
Dennis Osadebay, 1960-1963 NCNC.
Nwafor Orizu 1963-1966 NCNC.
Joseph Wayas 1979- 1983 NPN.
Iyorchia Ayu 1992- 1993 SDP
Ameh Ebute 1993 SDP.
Evan Enwerem 1999 PDP.
Chuba Okadigbo 1999-2000 PDP.
Anyim Pius Anyim 2000-2003 PDP.
Adolphus Wabara 2003-2005 PDP.
Ken Nnamani 2005-2007 PDP.
David Mark 2007-2015 PDP.
Bukola Saraki 2015 -2019 APC.
Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan 2019 till date APC.
Presidential Election Results (South–east Geo-Political Zone)
Enugu – 4,772 votes (1.05%)
Abia – 8,914 votes (2.3 %) Senator Orji Kalu’s State)
Ebonyin 42,402 votes (12.56%)
Anambra 5,111 votes ( 0.8 %)
Imo 66,406 votes (14 %).
Presidential Election Results (South–south Geo-Political Zone)
Akwa Ibom – 160,620 votes ( 27%)
Edo – 144,471 votes ( 24%)
Cross Rivers – 130,520 votes (29%).
Rivers – 231,591 votes (41.8 %)
Delta – 90,183 votes ( 13.77%)
Bayelsa – 42, 572 votes ( 24.59%).
It is like restating as an obvious fact that the South-east geo-political zone was of no electoral value to the overall successful outing of the APC party in the 2023 presidential elections. This is in the same Zone where Senator Orji Uzor Kalu recorded a landslide victory at the Senatorial polls.
However, it is refreshing to note that the South-south geo-political zone contributed positively to the overall victory of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President elect in the last presidential elections.
It is, therefore, not a misnomer to hinge the argument in favour of a South-south Senate President on the popular dictum that to whom much is given, much is expected in return.”
The South-south geo-political zone deserves the toga of the incoming Senate President.
Put succinctly, for the sake of fairness, the South-south like their South- east geo-political zone has never enjoyed the luxury of producing as many Senate Presidents the South-east had produced.
Without falling for a senseless act of hero-worship, Senator Godswill Akpabio occupies a more vantage position than any other lawmakers in the race. He possesses the requisite experience and competencies to propel the 10th National Assembly to success.
He has paid his dues in our nation’s political arena. Besides, the fact that Akpabio has served his fatherland meritoriously, he has sacrificed his personal ambitions, especially when he stepped down for Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the primaries.
Who is Godswill Akpabio?
Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio, CON, was born on 9 December 1962. He is a Nigerian lawyer and politician. He is a former Minister for Niger Delta Affairs. He resigned on 11 May 2022 on President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to contest in the presidential primaries of the All Progressives Congress.
He also served as Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria from 29 May 2007 to 29 May 2015.
Akpabio was educated at Methodist Primary School, Ukana, Essien Udim LGA, Akwa Ibom State; the Federal Government College, Port Harcourt, Rivers State; and the University of Calabar, Cross River State, where he obtained a Law Degree.
While at the Federal Government College, Port Harcourt, he was appointed Senior Prefect in University of Calabar,
Akpabio was elected Speaker of the parliamentary year.
In 2002, he was appointed Honourable Commissioner for Petroleum and Natural Resources by the former Governor Obong Victor Attah in Akwa Ibom State.
Between 2002 and 2006, he served as a Commissioner in three key ministries: Petroleum and Natural Resources, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and Lands and Housing.
In 2006, he aspired to the governorship of Akwa Ibom State in a contested primary election. He defeated 57 other aspirants to emerge the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). His campaign with the slogan, “let God’s will be done” received mass support and he was elected Governor in 2007. He was re-elected for a second term as Governor of Akwa Ibom State in 2011.
In 2013, he was elected Chairman of the newly formed PDP Governors Forum.
In 2015, he contested and won the Senate seat of the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District (Ikot Ekpene) to represent the district in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Running under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), he polled 422,009 of the 439,449 votes to defeat Chief Inibehe Okorie of the All Progressive Congress (APC) who recorded 15,152 votes to be declared elected by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Akpabio was nominated for the Senate Minority Leader position by the South-south caucus of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), ratified by the PDP caucus in the Senate and announced by the Senate President as Senate Minority Leader on 28 July 2015. The PDP lost the majority to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 general elections.
In August 2018, Senator Akpabio resigned as the Senate Minority Leader, after announcing his defection to the All Progressive Congress. His defection was marked by a political rally in his hometown at the Ikot Ekpene township stadium, Akwa Ibom State.
In July 2019, he was nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari and screened by the Nigerian Senate for a ministerial appointment. On August 21, 2019, he was sworn in as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Minister for Niger Delta Affairs.
In June 2022, Senator Godswill Akpabio resigned from his position as Minister for Niger Delta, a very lucrative Ministry which oversees the activities of the Niger Delta Development Commission, to contest as a presidential aspirant of the ruling All Progressive Congress APC but stepped down on the night of the primaries for the eventual winner of the primaries Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
A few days after the presidential primaries, Godswill Obot Akpabio emerged as the senatorial candidate for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.
However, it was fraught with accusations of foul play by the party stakeholders in the State. The party standard bearer eventually defeated his closest rival of PDP to become the Senator elect in the 2023 general elections.
He polled 115,401 votes, while Mr Enoidem scored 69,838 votes in the election.
Akpabio is not a political neophyte. It is, therefore, no news that numerous awards and honours which include the following were hipped on him:
Fellow, Kazaure Polytechnic, Kazaure (2008).
Fellow of the Yaba College of Technology, Yaba (2011).
Fellow of the College of Education, Bichi, and others.
Most Education Friendly Governor in Nigeria (2008) by the National Parent-Teacher Association.
Best Booster Governor Award for Promoting Science, Technology and Mathematics by the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria.
Goodwill Ambassador of the Nigerian Medical Association.
Media Honours
Best Governor in Africa, Africa Development Magazine.
Governor of the Year 2012, Leadership (newspaper).
Man of the Year 2011, The Sun (newspaper).
Best Governor in Nigeria and Outstanding Human Brand 2010: Billboard World.
Man of the Year 2010: National Daily Newspaper.
Governor of the Year 2010: The Nigerian Tribune.
Award of Excellence for Outstanding Performance 2010: Nigeria Union of Journalists.
Nigeria’s Emerging Tiger 2009: Thisday Newspapers.
Man of the Year 2009: The Daily Independent (Lagos).
Man of the Year 2009: National Daily Newspaper.
2008 Most Outstanding Governor in Nigeria (South South): National Daily Newspaper.
Governor of the Year (South-South): City People Magazine.
Best Governor Infrastructure 2009: Encomium Magazine.
Best Governor (South South): Encomium Magazine.
Excellency Award as Best Governor South-South 2009: Global Excellence Magazine. Etc.
In the light of the above , it is not only valid but also instructive that Senator Akpabio deserves to be the next Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.