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Tag: Godswill Akpabio

  • BEWARE: There’s nothing like Senate’s Online loan application-Akpabio’s media office warns

    BEWARE: There’s nothing like Senate’s Online loan application-Akpabio’s media office warns

    The Media office of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has cautioned Nigerians that there’s nothing like Senate President loan application online.

    This was contained in a statement issued and signed by Hon Eseme Eyiboh Special Adviser on Media and Publicity on Friday.

    Read full statement below:

    The attention of the Office of the President of the Senate has been drawn to a fake “N200,000 Palliative Loan By the Senate” bearing the picture of Senator Godswill Akpabio with the coat of Arms and Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) logo on the Facebook handle of one Templeshort requesting unsuspecting members of the public to apply and “Get instant Loan Approval”.

    We wish members of the public to know that this advertisement did not emanate from the Office of the President of the Senate but it is the handiwork of fraudsters and unscrupulous elements who are out to exploit hapless Nigerians.

    The general public should note that the Office of the President of the Senate have nothing to do with Templeshort and does not in any way have any connection with anyone operating a Facebook handle by the name Templeshort.

    The President of the Senate does not and is not operating any loan programme or palliative arrangement; neither is Senator Godswill Akpabio working in conjunction with the CBN or any other financial institution on any loan facility as palliative.

    We, therefore, advise members of the public to be wary of these criminal elements, who are experts in employing underhand methods to prey on unsuspecting Nigerians and disregard this advertisement and similar advertisements purportedly being sponsored online by the Senate for loans or palliative. No such loan or palliative exists in the office of the President of the Senate or in the name of Senator Godswill Akpabio.

    Hon Eseme Eyiboh
    Special Adviser on Media and Publicity and official Spokesperson to the President of the Senate

  • Akpabio commiserates with Oyo govt, victims of Ibadan blast

    Akpabio commiserates with Oyo govt, victims of Ibadan blast

    President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has sympathised with the government and people of Oyo state over the explosion that rocked Bodija, Ibadan on Tuesday killing 7 people and injuring over 70.

    In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, the Senate President expressed sadness at the accident lamenting the loss of lives and property.

    “With a heavy heart, I wish to commiserate with Governor Seyi Makinde, the good people of Oyo State and indeed victims and their families in this unfortunate occurrence. I am very distraught at this accident happening, especially at the beginning of the year.

    “I pray that the Almighty God will forgive the sins of those who lost their lives in the explosion and welcome them in His kingdom. And for those who sustained injuries, it is my prayer that they will receive healing in good times. For the families that suffered different losses, may God replace all that they have lost”.

    The Senate President urged the relevant interventionist agencies to come to the aid of the victims saying, “I urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other humanitarian groups to quickly assist the victims to ease the pain of their losses.

    Akpabio, equally praised the security agencies and other rescue workers for their bravery and prompt intervention during the explosion. He however called for a thorough investigation to unearth the cause of the explosion in order to forestall further occurrences.

    “I must commend the security agencies and other rescue workers for their prompt intervention, especially the bravery and high level of professionalism they exhibited when the explosion happened. I encourage you to keep up the good work.

    “I also urge the relevant agencies to carry out a thorough investigation into the remote and immediate causes of the explosion so that adequate provisions could be made to prevent such fatal accidents in the future”, he stated.

  • Armed Forces remembrance: Tinubu, Akpabio, others honour fallen heroes

    Armed Forces remembrance: Tinubu, Akpabio, others honour fallen heroes

    President Bola Tinubu on Monday led the Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, members of the Federal Executive Council, National Assembly, service chiefs and the diplomatic corps to honour the nation’s fallen and living heroes.

    The event, which involved laying of wreath at the National Arcade in Abuja, was the climax of activities for the 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Day (AFRD) celebration.

    First to lay the wreath was the President, followed by the Senate President, Speaker, House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas and Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.

    The wreath was also laid by Minister of Defence, Alhaji Muhammed Badaru, his Federal Capital Territory counterpart, Nyesome Wike and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.

    They were followed by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa; Chiefs of Army, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja; Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla and Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

    Other dignitaries, who also performed the wreath-laying ceremony, are members of the diplomatic corps, Nigerian Legion and the widows of late officers and soldiers represented by the President, Military Widows Association (MIWA), Mrs Veronica Aluko.

    There was also the firing of three volleys in honour of the fallen heroes which has its origin in the old custom of halting fighting in the warfront to remove the dead from the battlefield.

    Tinubu, thereafter, signed the anniversary register and released the ceremonial pigeons as a symbol of national peace and freedom.

    The celebration started with series of activities including Jumma’at prayer on Jan. 12, at the National Mosque and Interdenominational Christian service on Jan. 14.

    This year’s celebration also featured sporting activities such as golf tournament and paintball combat competition organised by the Defence Headquarters among other activities.

    The AFRDC is celebrated globally to recognise and appreciate the sacrifices made by citizens for the cause of peace.

    In Nigeria, Jan. 15 is set aside annually to honour the fallen heroes who laid down their lives in service to humanity during the first and second world wars, Nigerian civil war, peace missions and various internal security operations.

    The event is also used to honour veterans still alive and as a medium for soliciting financial, moral and material support for the families of the fallen heroes.

  • How blood of fallen heroes sowed seed of unity in Nigeria – Akpabio

    How blood of fallen heroes sowed seed of unity in Nigeria – Akpabio

    President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, says the blood of the courageous men and women of the Armed Forces of Nigeria sowed the seed of unity and progress of Nigeria.

    Akpabio said this at the Interdenominational Church Service to mark the 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, held at the National Christian Centre Abuja, on Sunday.

    He likened the sacrifices made by the military men and women to the blood of the martyrs as the seed of Christianity.

    According to him, the sacrifices being made by the military will never be in vain.

    “Just as the blood of the martyrs is the seed of Christianity, the blood of these courageous countrymen and women is and continues to be the seed of our unity and progress as a nation.

    “It is our solemn duty to ensure that they did not die in vain by promoting the peace and unity of Nigeria.

    “Nigeria, this great nation, is populated by people of diverse faiths.

    “Whether Christians, Muslims, or followers of other religions, Nigerians share a deep-rooted belief in God and the power of prayers.

    “It is no small feat that despite the challenges plaguing our nation, our people remain united as one entity – Nigeria.”

    According to him, this is a testament to the resilient spirit of unity that defines Nigerians, which transcends the diversity in culture, religion, and tribe.

    “The unity of Nigeria came at a great price,” he said, adding that it behoves on all well meaning citizens to defend it.

    The Senate president urged Nigerians to shun violence, and strive to coexist as one united family.

    “Wars often start from avoidable unrest and small sparks of conflict that, when left unaddressed, escalate into full-blown catastrophes.

    “War destroys lives, livelihoods, cripples economies, promotes vice, and results in environmental degradation.

    “We must place the unity of our nation above selfish and sectional interests by guarding our words and being accommodating to our diversity, while remaining sensitive to the plight of others,” Akpabio said.

    He assured Nigerians that the government was committed to multisectoral reforms needed to propel the nation to greatness.

    Akpabio also called on the church to partner with the government in rebranding Nigeria, and spreading the gospel of love for oneself, others, and the country.

    He said there was need to blur the lines that divide the people across ethnic and religious boundaries through messages of tolerance, peace, unity, and progress.

    According to him, the current administration is more determined than ever to strengthen and promote the oneness and indivisibility of Nigeria.

    The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, called on all Nigerians to support the military, so as motivate them to do well.

    Musa said the present government had shown commitment to support the military and other security agencies to restore peace across the country.

    According to him, the armed forces and security agencies cannot do it alone.

    “So we are calling on all Nigerians to continue to support us in all we are doing. We might make mistakes, but they will never be deliberate.

    “And we assure you that the government of the day is giving us the full support that we require, and we will succeed.

    “2024 is our year of liberty and we can guarantee you that we will achieve success,” he said.

    In his sermon titled “Hope of a New Dawn”, the Archbishop of Abuja Africa Metropolitan Church, Arch Bishop Peter Ogumiyiwa, commended the troops of the Nigerian military for their sacrifices to ensure peace of the country.

    Ogumiyiwa also hailed the military for supporting democratic governance.

    The Arch Bishop urged the military and other security agencies to shun corruption and do more in dealing with the menace of insecurity.

    He expressed concern that corruption has become endemic in th country, and urged anti-corruption agencies to beam their search light on every citizen, devoid of regional, ethic and religious sentiment.

    The AFRD is celebrated on Jan. 15 annually, to mark the end of the Nigerian civil war.

    The interdenominational church service is part of activities lined up for the celebration.

    Prayer was held on Friday at the National Mosque for the fallen heroes.

  • BREAKING: Akpabio declares Umahi, Giadam’s Senate seats vacant

    BREAKING: Akpabio declares Umahi, Giadam’s Senate seats vacant

    President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has declared the seats of two senators: David Umahi (Ebonyi-South) and Ibrahim Giadam (Yobe-East) vacant, following their appointments as ministers.

    Akpabio made the declaration at plenary on Wednesday in Abuja, stressing the declaration was in accordance with section 68, sub-section (1)(d) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    He, therefore, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to commence the process of by-elections in the two senatorial districts immediately.

  • Akpabio was not rushed to national hospital – Eyiboh

    Akpabio was not rushed to national hospital – Eyiboh

    Hon Eseme Eyiboh, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, CON has debunked rumours on the fringes of decency to the effect that the Senate President collapsed on Thursday, December 14, 2023 in the course of the Colloquium that complemented activities marking his 61st birthday.
    In a sharp rebuttal of the reports, Eyiboh said that the rumours and reports were fictionalized extensions of the Senate President’s assertion of being tired at the end of the programme.
    Eyiboh said:
    “The rumours which have come to our notice through word of mouth from concerned and patriotic stakeholders have been fanned by some social media news channels with notoriety for the dissemination of phony newsflashes.
    “It was especially disconcerting that the conjectures on the wellbeing of the Senate President came after he was celebrated by the crème-de-crème of the nation’s leadership across all sectors at the Colloquium that was focused on defining a legislative agenda for national development.
    According to Eyiboh, “Senator Akpabio spoke on his feet for more than 30 minutes as he gave the expose` of his trajectory in a way as never before.
    “As the programme ended and President Bola Tinubu left the Transcorp Hotel venue, Senator Akpabio’s expression to some of those around him that he was tired was escalated to a fainting spell or collapse.
    “Some more adventurous purveyors of untruth in their thrilling escapade of fiction even claimed that he is presently hospitalized and in a critical condition in the National Hospital, Abuja.”
    “This is wholly untrue and I declare firmly that besides saying he was exhausted in the hearing of those around him that he was certainly not rushed in a stretcher to the national hospital or indisposed.”
  • Forget Jackson Ude’s disease minded Fiction On Akpabio’s Birthday- Eyiboh

    Forget Jackson Ude’s disease minded Fiction On Akpabio’s Birthday- Eyiboh

    Hon Eseme Eyiboh, Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has dismissed the itinerant literature of blackmail as the latest extract from the stables of Mr Jackson Ude on plans by friends of President of the Senate for his birthday.

    In a rebuttal to Ude’s claims that the funding of the birthday is coming from the Senate and MDAs, Eyiboh challenged the author to show evidence or else gear himself for a date with the law for damaging the reputations of otherwise respectable persons in good standing in the society. Mr Jackson Ude should know by now that, being a fugitive can not shield a serial blackmailer from the long arms of the law.

    Eyiboh who identified himself as a pivot in the coordination of the birthday affirmed that it was a purely private initiative from the friends and associates of the President of the Senate who consistently over the years come together to celebrate the timeless legacies of Akpabio, the destiny child. He as such affirmed that Ude not being a friend or associate could not have been privy to this yearly show of solidarity and uncommon brotherhood to a renaissance man.

    Hear him:
    “Mr Ude who is certainly not a friend nor an associate of the President of the Senate has cooked up imaginations that extend the bounds of fantasy to apparently buttress his ranking in fiction writing.

    “Unfortunately, in pushing his story on the plans that friends have for the Senate President, Ude has in his write-up encroached on the personal confidentiality of some of the friends of Senator Akpabio. It is a regrettable act of indiscretion picking up names of genuine friends of the President of the Senate in the hatchet job of character assassination of the distinguished President of the Senate and his close associates.

    “As one of the friends deeply associated with the plans of the birthday, I affirm that the assertions of Ude including the tale of mopping funds from the Senate for the birthday are a cocktail of fabricated lies for which no serious person should rivet attention to.

    “The birthday plans of the President of the Senate are well thought out plans from friends and associates from within and outside the National Assembly and funded from private sources even without the input of the President of the President.”

    Hon Eyiboh as such called on all men of good reasoning to discountenance what he described as the frivolities of Mr Ude which he said were aimed at distracting from the plans to celebrate an uncommon man of destiny.

  • Friends and well wishers plan great reception to mark Akpabio’s 61st birthday

    Friends and well wishers plan great reception to mark Akpabio’s 61st birthday

    Activities for the 61st birthday for the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio to honour him are in top gear.

    To this end, a grand reception is being put together on the 9th of December at the Akpabio international stadium.

    Also, a one day national colloquim will be held in Abuja.

  • Just In: Confusion engulfs Senate after announcement of Minority Leader, Whip

    Just In: Confusion engulfs Senate after announcement of Minority Leader, Whip

    Confusion engulfed the Senate on Tuesday as two senators were announced to replacement of Minority Leader and Whip that were sacked by the Appeal Court.

    Senators Abba Moro, and Osita Ngu replaced Senators Simon Davou Mwadkwon and Darlington Nwokocha respectively.

    Making the announcement, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said having been endorsed by majority of the Minority Caucus, Senators Abba Moro and Osita Ngu shall temporarily occupy the positions which has been vacant.

    Senator Abba Moro, was endorsed by 41 senators while Senator Osita Ngu, 30 Senators according to the correspondence read by the Senate President.

    However, rising to raise a point of order, Senator Ezea Okechukwu (Enugu North/LP), urgued that it will be unfair for PDP to occupy three seats out of the 4 seats for the Minority Caucus in the Senate.

    This point of order threw the Senate into a rowdy session as some of the lawmakers were heard shouting at the top of their voices.

    The Senate President calmed the lawmakers, and admonished that it will be unfair for him not to announce the those principal officers having obtained majority signatures from the lawmakers from the Minority Caucus.

    It was nevertheless resolved that hence the Abba Moro and Osita Ngu have obtained majority support from the lawmakers in the caucus, they remain the principal officers as already announced by the Senate President.

  • Senate president, Akpabio reveals why he doesn’t drink, smoke

    Senate president, Akpabio reveals why he doesn’t drink, smoke

    Nigeria’s Senate President,  Godswill Akpabio has revealed why he has never smoked cigarettes or taken alcohol.

    According to Akpabio,  his parental guidance prevented him from smoking and drinking.

    The Akwa Ibom politician made this disclosure at the grand finale of the National Quiz Competition organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies for secondary school students in Enugu.

    The Senate President also said the side effects of such substances prevented him from smoking and drinking.

    According to Akpabio: “You should strive to become visionary leaders in future by abstaining from things that would truncate your dreams and goals. In my own case, I have never smoked cigarettes or taken alcohol before. This is because, growing up, I listened to parental guidance.

    “As a kid, I usually saw a man who would stagger on the road and fall into the gutters. I asked my mum, who told me it was because he was drunk. Some people would drink alcohol and drive home, while others would drink and drive to paradise.”