10th NASS: Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu, Abiodun congratulates Akpabio, Jibrin

 

.Now, lets get on with business of the people –President

• Gov hails Abass, Kalu emergence as Reps Speaker, DS

.Emergence of Akpabio, Abbas casts doubts over an independent legislature, says HURIWA

 

Ibrahim Qudre and Michael-Azeez Ogunsiji

 

President and Commander-in-Chief, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has  congratulated the former Minister of Niger Delta and ex-Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio on his election of the Senate President of the 10th National Assembly

 

According to him “The election of Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, CON and Rt. Honourable Tajudeen Abbas as the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives for the 10th National Assembly is a good development.

 

I heartily congratulate them and also rejoice with the new Deputy Senate President Jibril Barau and House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu for their well-deserved victories.

 

Being elected by their peers as presiding officers and assuming the leadership of the National Assembly is a great honour that comes with huge responsibility. I trust that you will justify the confidence reposed in you by your members and many Nigerians.

 

I wish Senator Abdulaziz Yari, Honourable member Idris Wase and Honourable Aminu Jaji who enriched the process with their participation in the leadership election the best and a successful tenure in the 10th National Assembly.

 

I urge them to sustain the same level of enthusiasm they brought to the leadership contest in the discharge of their duties to their constituents and Nigeria.

 

My congratulations to all members of the National Assembly, across party lines, who, today, enlisted into the service of the blessed people of our great country.

 

We have all been called upon and accepted the responsibility to diligently and faithfully serve our fatherland with the oath we took. It is time to get on and move swiftly with the business of governance in the service of Nigeria.

 

As your President, I am prepared to transparently work with the National Assembly. Nigerians expect distinguished Senators and Honourable members to make laws and carry out oversight duties that will enhance the performance of government to achieve successful outcomes including improving their quality of life.

 

In the course of our work together, disagreements may occur. When we disagree it will not be out of malice, ill-will and quest to diminish the institution of National Assembly or any individual member.

 

Our people across the length and breadth of our country expect so much from us. They want us to lift their economic burden. They want us eliminate insecurity so our farmers in rural communities can go to their farms and produce the food we eat.

 

Our people look up to us to change the fortune of our country for good and remove all barriers that impede progress. All of these we can make happen with dedication and commitment. We can only achieve all the good things we promised during our campaigns when we work together in harmony but with respect for our respective prerogatives and in the best interest of our country.

 

We cannot afford to waste this opportunity because Nigerians want us to make every day of the next four years count. Justifiably, our people want more from their government. They truly deserve progressive good governance that will improve their standards of living. We must give them our best.

 

I will remain a partner in progress for peace, stability and prosperity of Nigeria. I count on the leadership of the 10th National Assembly and all members to work and walk with me on this governmental journey.

 

 

Also, The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has congratulated the former Minister of Niger Delta and ex-Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio on his election of the Senate President of the 10th National Assembly.

 

 

 

Governor Sanwo-Olu also extends his congratulatory message to the newly elected Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, who currently represents Kano North Senatorial District in the Red Chamber.

 

 

 

He said the elections of Akpabio and Jibrin as President of the Senate and Deputy Senate President by their colleagues is a testament to the trust and belief they have in them to steer the ship of the 10th Senate.

 

 

 

Governor Sanwo-Olu in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Mr. Gboyega Akosile on Tuesday, also congratulated Hon. Tajudeen Abass and Hon. Benjamin Kalu on their emergence as the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives.

 

 

 

He urged the leadership of the National Assembly to work with their colleagues and use their positions for the progress, growth and development of Nigeria.

 

 

 

Sanwo-Olu, who attended the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly with some of his colleagues, urged the leadership of the National Assembly to work with their colleagues and use their positions for the progress, growth and development of Nigeria.

 

 

 

The Governor also seeks a cordial relationship between the legislature and executive, as well as the judiciary, and other government institutions for a better and united country.

 

 

 

He said: “On behalf of the government and people of Lagos State, I congratulate Senators Godswill Akpabio and Barau Jibrin on their election as the President of the Senate and Deputy Senate President of the 10th Senate.

 

 

 

“I also congratulate Hon. Tajudeen Abass and Hon. Benjamin Kalu on their victory as the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives respectively.

 

 

 

“I believe strongly that the emergence of the leadership of the 10th National Assembly is the wish of federal lawmakers. So, I do not doubt that they will excel with full support from their colleagues.

 

 

 

“I wish the President of the Senate, Deputy Senate President, Speaker, and Deputy Speaker success in driving progress for the National Assembly and Nigeria as a whole. I am certain they will lead their offices with integrity and efficiency.”

 

Meanwhile, Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun on Tuesday congratulated former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio for emerging as the President of the Senate.

 

Akpabio, who was also a former governor of Akwa Ibom State was elected unopposed by his colleagues on Tuesday, while Barau Jibrin emerged as the Deputy President of the 10th senate.

 

The governor, who personally witnessed the elections both at the Senate and House of Representatives, also congratulated Hon. Tajudeen Abbas who emerged as the Speaker of the House of Representatives with Hon. Benjamin Kalu becoming the Deputy Speaker.

 

Abiodun, in a statement issued by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Mr. Waheed Adesina, described the emergence of the new NASS leadership as the final fulfilment of the installation of transformational leadership in the country, which began with the election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

 

The governor added that the emergence of both Akpabio and Abbas as the leaders of the 10th NASS was in line with the decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC), adding that it was a testament to the confidence reposed in them by the party and their colleagues to steer the ship of the legislative arm of government.

 

Describing the new leadership as a round peg in a round hole, Governor Abiodun said Akpabio has a wealth of knowledge to deploy in managing the affairs of the senate having been a governor and a minister.

 

Hon. Abbas, the governor added has garnered the requisite legislative knowledge for a smooth working relationship with the executive.

 

He said that the combination of Akpabio and Abbas will help President Tinubu in his transformation agenda for the country.

 

He urged the lawmakers to collaborate with the leadership in foisting on the nation, a vibrant legislature, while also calling for a harmonious relationship with the executive in the quest to reposition and transform Nigeria.

 

 

Also, Members of the Team Akpabio Media Campaign have congratulated Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio on his election as President of the 10th Senate.

 

The 14-member team, chaired by Prince Kassim Afegbua, extended the felicitations by the team members in a statement on Tuesday, entitled: “A Huge Congratulations To The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.”

 

The statement read: “It was a hard-fought battle of political strategy, mastery and networking, that recognises distinction, class and content. You are a man of quality and not quantity, as others who tried to upstage the applecart, by sheer politics of money, ethnicity and parochialism were wont to provoke. You stood out in your robust engagement with critical stakeholders in the onerous journey to becoming the number 3 citizen of this great nation. You reached out to your colleagues, made them to believe in your capacity to lead such an August body, the Parliament of our great country. You exerted pressure, burnt midnight candles, persevered with utmost resilience to breaking the ice. And now, you have conquered.

 

“This is another huge platform for you to showcase your uncommon skills, in your usual tradition, of surpassing targets. You were an uncommon Honourable Commissioner, uncommon Governor of Akwa Ibom, uncommon Minister of the Niger-Delta Affairs, uncommon Senator in the 8th Assembly, and now another opportunity to become uncommon Senate President. We thank God for the glory. We give God, the creator of heaven and earth, all the glory and adoration.

 

“As a team player, I trust in your ability to rally round the Senate in the greater task of generating laws for the good governance of the country. As an ambassador of the South-South geopolitical zone, we are proud of your success. We identify with you that Senators from other geopolitical zones across the country, saw in you, the quintessential traits of a consummate politician that can lead the Senate in the 10th Assembly.

 

“Congratulations to you Distinguished Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, the latest Senate President in town. You will have to be magnanimous in victory, and see the challenge of political opponents, as a required democratic process that helps to enrich our democracy. Carry everyone along and launch your skills to show your usual grit as you set out for another uncommon leadership of the 10th Assembly.”

Meanwhile,A rights advocacy group on the aegis of ‘HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA)’ on Tuesday expressed doubts over Nigerians witnessing a robust independent-minded and pro-people National Assembly.

HURIWA particularly said that the handpicking of Akpabio as Senate President and Tajudeen Abbas as Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 10^th National Assembly and their deputies by President Tinubu, who is the Head of the executive arm of government has clearly made it almost impossible for the people’s representatives to provide a robust legislative activities.

The rights group also said that the National Assembly would be incapable of or unwilling to provide oversight functions over the executive and judicial arm of government in the current dispensation.

It therefore charged Nigerians to be vigilant and be prepared to defend the integrity of the constitutional democracy that the nation had embraced.

HURIWA which stated these following the emergence of former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio as President of the Senate and Hon. Tajujdeen Abbas as Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 10^th National Assembly, expressed concern why the Executive arm of government should dictate the choice of the leadership of the legislature that was expected to carry out oversight on it.

The Rights group said that it had predicted that the current session of the National Assembly with the handpicked candidates of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu imposed on the Senators and House of Representatives members, will just be docile, and a rubberstamped legislature like the 9th Session of the National Assembly headed by Senator Ahmed Lawan.

HURIWA in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko said it was unfortunate that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has created the impression that the senators and members of the House of Representatives were persons of very low integrity whose consciences can be bought by either money or political patronage to do the bidding of the President which is antithetical to the fundamentals of constitutional democracy.

HURIWA specifically accused the President Tinubu-led executive arm of the government of arm-twisting the legislators to accept the docile leadership that the executive had all the while prepared for the 10th session of the National Assembly.

In the words of HURIWA; “We are shocked by the amount of interest and the high levels of threats and intimidation that the few Senators who dissented from the mainstream position of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the leadership composition in the National Assembly were subjected to including the attempted deployment of armed law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies against them just so they can step down for Akpabio, who incidentally has been accused by the EFCC of financial indiscretion as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.

“The processes that threw up the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives smacks of executive interference and as far as rational-minded people are concerned, the National Assembly is already hijacked by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and unless miracle happens, the interests of the people of Nigeria who are the real owners of the sovereignty of Nigeria, won’t be protected because President Tinubu, who fixed Akpabio and Tajudeen Abbas as heads of Senate and House of Representatives, already has his secret plot that he intends to achieve and these are all about himself and his political dynasty.

“Nigerians must be ready to fight for their rights,” it stressed.