Senate President Godswill Akpabio has declared the National Assembly’s support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, warning that nobody would be allowed to use the legislature to destabilise the President.
Akpabio spoke on Wednesday in Abuja at the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress 2027 presidential campaign council, where he said lawmakers were backing Tinubu for a second term because of his performance and reforms.
“Mr President, it’s because of your personae, because you’ve done well and you deserve a second term in office,” he said.
He added, “Nigerians are seeing your reforms, and Nigerians have also seen the fact that nobody can break through the National Assembly to destabilise you. We are solidly behind you.”
The Senate President said several lawmakers had expressed interest in joining the campaign council’s activities.
He recalled that some senators had questioned why they were being left out of the gathering.
“In fact, when I was coming, a lot of senators were dragging my clothes and said, ‘SP, are you leaving us behind? Let us just come with you,’” Akpabio said.
He asked Tinubu for permission to attend a future campaign event with lawmakers from both the majority and minority blocs, specifically mentioning Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro.
Akpabio also described the composition of the presidential campaign council as unprecedented, saying it brought together politicians from different political parties.
“This is historic, and this is uncommon. This has never happened in the history of our democracy since 1999, that the sitting president will constitute his presidential campaign council with almost all the parties in Nigeria, inclusive,” he said.
He described the arrangement as evidence of political cooperation and suggested that Tinubu’s second term would be a “unity government”.
Among those he praised were the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party; Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance; and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party.
Akpabio argued that effective governance depended more on individuals than their political affiliations, expressing hope that Soludo’s experience would contribute to national development.
He also urged Tinubu to take the Anambra governor’s advice seriously, recounting Soludo’s analogy about repairing an untorn garment.
“He said, if the clothes is not torn, why try to mend it? If you try to mend it, you are doing what? You are going to tear the clothes,” Akpabio said.
The Senate President further cautioned governors against abandoning their constituents while pursuing other political ambitions.
“And for my brothers who are governors, I want you to know that you must not abandon your people,” he said.
Akpabio, who served as Akwa Ibom State governor for eight years, said governors should concentrate on fulfilling their mandates rather than pursuing offices that were not available to them.
“I did eight years as a governor. And the constitution says you should do eight years. There’s no need for you to start eyeing another position that is not available,” he added.
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