Godswill Akpabio – The Commerce Africa https://thecommerceafrica.com African Reneissance Mon, 12 Jun 2023 10:45:16 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.9 More than 85% of Senators-elect behind Akpabio for Senate President -Barrister Cecilia https://thecommerceafrica.com/more-than-85-of-senators-elect-behind-akpabio-for-senate-president-barrister-cecilia/ https://thecommerceafrica.com/more-than-85-of-senators-elect-behind-akpabio-for-senate-president-barrister-cecilia/#respond Mon, 12 Jun 2023 10:34:15 +0000 https://thecommerceafrica.com/?p=14182 A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and a Senatorial aspirant from the Northern Senatorial District of Cross River State in the 2022 primary election, Barrister Cecilia Adams has once again called on Senators-elect of the Red Chamber to give victory to whom it is due by voting en masse for the candidature of Senator Godswill Akpabio as Senate President come Tuesday, 13th June, 2023 when the 10th Senate is inaugurated upon its proclamation by the President, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and voting conducted for the leadership position of the 10th Senate.

Barrister Cecilia Adams

Barrister Cecilia who stated that electing Senator Akpabio as the Senate President will be doing justice to the South-South Zone of the country which has never produced a presidency of the Senate, asserts further that it will do good to the present structure of political leadership by having an astute political might of Senator Akpabio to work with President Ahmed Bola Tinubu who has seen that quality in him and thus gave him his nod and endorsement from the onset.

She said besides creating a healthy political atmosphere for the Executive and Legislative arms of government to work in harmony, it will afford Nigerians the opportunity to enjoy the dividends of democracy by bringing progress and developments that will take the country to higher levels devoid of rancour associated with a divided Legislative and Executive arms of government that retards the progress of the country from achieving meaningful growth and development.

Barrister Cecelia noted that the President and Commander-in-Chief has shown signs of commitment and dedication to serve Nigeria relentlessly for its progress and development, and that with Senator Akpabio as President of the Senate, President Tinubu is sure to achieve greater heights in delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Nigeria.

Barrister Cecilia who spoke to newsmen in Abuja over the weekend, noted that with more than 85 per cent endorsements by the 109 senators-elect in the 10th Senate, Senator Akpabio’s emergence as President of the 10th Senate is assured as voting at the end of the session will massively be in his favour.

“It is crystal clear and from all indications, that all contending parties on the choice of the Presidency of the 10th Senate of the National Assembly will finally resolve to allow the leadership of the Senate go to Senator Godswill Akpabio, APC North West Senatorial District (Ikot Ekpene) from Akwa Ibom State, who has been the strongest, populous and most revered candidate for the seat,” she added.

Story by Michael Jegede

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Senate Presidency:APC chieftain, Cecilia Adams, drums support for Akpabio https://thecommerceafrica.com/senate-presidencyapc-chieftain-cecilia-adams-drums-support-for-akpabio/ https://thecommerceafrica.com/senate-presidencyapc-chieftain-cecilia-adams-drums-support-for-akpabio/#respond Sat, 06 May 2023 13:10:36 +0000 https://thecommerceafrica.com/?p=13444 A Senatorial aspirant of the Northern Senatorial District in the Cross River State All Progressive Congress (APC) primaries held last year, Barrister Cecilia Omonya Adams, has drummed support for Senator Godswill Akpabio’s bid to occupy the seat of Senate President in the 10th National Assembly (NASS) expected to be inaugurated on June 13.

Barrister Adams who stated this in an interaction with newsmen in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, noted that since the enthronement of the current democratic dispensation in 1999, no one from the South-South geopolitical zone of the country has held the position of Senate President.

According to her, “Now is the right time in fairness and equity, for the zone to have one of its own occupy the coveted seat of the Senate President.”

The APC stalwart added that “Senator Godswill Akpabio is the right man for the position, having done well in delivering greater successes for the party in the just concluded 2023 general election by not only winning his senatorial seat, but garnering 132,683 votes for the presidential election in Akwa-Ibom State for President-elect, His Excellency, Ahmed Bola Tinubu.

“In view of the above, and in line with the APC Governors’ memo to the president-elect, His Excellency, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu on the appropriate zoning of the offices which requested the contributions to the presidential election as a major factor, the South-South carries the day against the voting pattern of the South-East that exhibited exclusionary electoral conduct,” the legal practitioner turned politician noted.

The former senatorial aspirant further stated that “The excellent track records of experience in political governance and administration that Senator Akpabio has acquired, qualified him more than his fellow contenders for the position of the Senate President, having served as a Commissioner, a Governor, a Minister of the Federal Republic and a ranking member of the Senate who sacrificed his political career by accepting to give up his position as the Minority Leader in the Senate when he defected to the All Progressive Congress.”

Others reported to be in the Senate Presidency race, apart from Akpabio are Uzor Orji Kalu, the current Senate Chief Whip, Osita Izunaso, Senator-elect for Imo West Senatorial District, Sani Musa, the senator representing Niger East Senatorial District, Adams Oshiomhole, former Edo State governor and ex-National Chairman of APC, who as a first termer is being affected by the rule of ranking in the choice of NASS leadership.

Governor David Umahi who is also eyeing the Office of the Senate President has stepped down for Akpabio that appeared to be the man APC leadership and governors on the platform of the party have settled for to occupy the country’s number-three seat. Senator Barau Jibrin, Chairman Senate Committee on Appropriation, who equally had the aspiration of becoming the Senate President in the 10th Senate, seemed to have dropped that ambition and he is now being reportedly positioned to deputize Akpabio.

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Nigeria To Spend N722.3mn For Forensic Audit Of NDDC https://thecommerceafrica.com/nigeria-to-spend-n722-3mn-for-forensic-audit-of-nddc/ https://thecommerceafrica.com/nigeria-to-spend-n722-3mn-for-forensic-audit-of-nddc/#respond Thu, 27 Aug 2020 06:41:59 +0000 http://thecommerceafrica.com/?p=1723 The Federal Executive Council has approved N722.3m for the forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission.

Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, disclosed this on Wednesday after the virtual FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to Akpabio, the field auditors will undertake a complete forensic exercise of the NDDC activities in their respective states of assignments and ascertain total funds and resources paid to contractors for all projects.

They would also compare the total amount of resources expended with the value of what was delivered to the commission and establish if such value is commensurate with the resources expended.

He disclosed that the auditors were also mandated to look into the 12,000 abandoned projects by the NDDC in the Niger Delta.

He said, “By the time I assume office in August 2019, we discovered there was no budget for the NDDC for the year 2019 up to that September.

“So, we submitted two budgets in November to the National Assembly. And it took quite a while until in April. The budget details were given out to the NDDC in April, to end 31st of May, less than six weeks.

“Unfortunately, the National Assembly is right now on leave and the budget of NDDC for 2020 has not been passed. So, to enable us to move forward with the exercise and complete it on time, Mr President graciously directed and approved that the payment for the forensic exercise should be undertaken through the Presidency.”

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Akpabio Names Lawmakers Who Got NDDC Contracts https://thecommerceafrica.com/akpabio-names-lawmakers-who-got-nddc-contracts/ https://thecommerceafrica.com/akpabio-names-lawmakers-who-got-nddc-contracts/#respond Mon, 27 Jul 2020 08:59:23 +0000 http://thecommerceafrica.com/?p=1269 The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio (picture), has named some federal lawmakers who allegedly got contracts from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The named lawmakers include the Chairman of the Senate committee on Niger Delta, Peter Nwabaoshi, whose name was listed against 53 projects.

Some of the projects include emergency repairs of Asue Street, Owa Phase 2; ldumuogbe Road via Ojemaye; Otolokpo College Road, Otolokpo; and the Police lshu Ani Ukwu Road, Issele Uku, in Delta State.

Mr Akpabio also said Senator Matthew Urhoghide got six projects, Senator James Manager got six contracts while a former senator, Samuel Anyanwu, got 19 projects.

The former Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on the NDDC, Nicholas Mutu, was also named by the minister as receiving 74 contracts – the highest among the listed lawmakers.

Some of the projects are emergency roads in Delta, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Rivers states.

A few others were simply identified as Ondo and Edo Reps.

A spokesperson for Mr Akpabio, Aniete Ekong, confirmed that the document containing the names was part of those sent by Mr Akpabio to lawmakers investigating the NCDC.

The document also contained a list of projects assigned to non-members of the National Assembly.

Although the cost of the projects were not stated, the document shows that most of the projects were awarded in 2018, a year before the ninth assembly was inaugurated. It is also not clear whether or not they are constituency projects.

This revelation comes days after the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, threatened to sue the minister for alleged defamation of character.

This was after Mr Akpabio at a hearing organised by the House panel, alleged that majority of the contracts in the NDDC are given out to members of the National Assembly. He was challenged by Mr Gbajabiamila, to name the lawmakers involved in the scandal within 48 hours.

The minister earlier retracted his claim saying his reference was not to current lawmakers of the ninth assembly.

It also comes days after the Senate resolved to investigate allegations of corruption levelled by the Niger Delta Development Commission against some lawmakers.

The Senate gave its committee on ethics, privileges and public petitions four weeks to probe the allegations made by the management of the NDDC and Mr Akpabio.

Both the House and the Senate have been investigating alleged misappropriation of funds and financial recklessness in the commission.

Credit: PREMIUM TIMES.

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