President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio has said that the economic situation inherited by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration, which has caused the current economic harship in the country, could be likened to a mirage, just as he pleaded for patience from Nigerians.
Akpabio stated this in his remarks at the thanksgiving service in honour of Senator Barinada Mpigi at St. Cyprian’s Anglican Church Koroma Parish, Diocese of Ogoni, on Saturday.
A statement by the Special Assistant on Media, to the Senate President, Mr Jackson Udom quoted Akpabio, as saying,” the crowd here proves that Senator Mpigi is truly, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator. In the 10th Senate, God has melted us together because we see ourselves as Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not of any political party.
According to Akpabio, “the economic situation that President Bola Tinubu inherited on assumption of office was very unhealthy and could be likened to a mirage.The kind of actions and policies taken in the past by the relevant institutions have caused these hardships and despite all these, we will not let you down. Just be patient with the Federal Government. The rot of the last 60 years can’t be addressed in just seven months of the Tinubu administration,” he said.
Akpabio described Mpigi as “a worthy son of Ogoni land. We are here because you are a worthy son of Ogoni land. Your father trained you well. It is a good thing to remember your foundation. Many have died along the way and that is why I commend you for this thanksgiving service. “
He thanked the former Governor of Rivers State and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for his support for President Tinubu, saying, “it is your support that made the South South to produce the first Minister of the FCT.”
In his brief remarks, Wike thanked Akpabio for leading the entire Senate to Rivers State and appointing for the first time, an indigene of the state to chair the Senate Committee on Works.
According to Chief Wike, Senator Mpigi “has gone through a lot in his life and that is why this thanksgiving service is in order,” adding, “over 85 to 90 percent of those who made the 2023 elections what it came out to be, are all here. They have refused to be intimidated and nobody can intimate them. I wish tomorrow is 2027 for the re-enactment of that feat,” he said.
In his welcome address, Senator Mpigi said, “today’s event is uncommon because of the presence of the uncommon Senate President. I thank God for making it possible for us to gather here today to hold this service in deep appreciation of His benevolence in granting me victory in the last general elections as well as my successful swearing-in into the 10th Senate.”
Mpigi thanked Wike for what he described as , “his gracious support to me during the last general elections, as well as during the post elections tribunal, will remain dear to my heart.”
He thanked Akpabio “for allowing God’s will to be done through you by taking us to where we are today in the highest lawmaking body of the land. Your unique style of politics has been one of consensus and not divisiveness, strife and bitterness.
“You have always put Nigeria first to the point where political party lines have been blurred and now we see ourselves as Parliamentarians coming together to build a better Nation and not as political enemies,” he said.
