Godswill Akpabio, former minority
leader of the senate, says he is sure his colleagues in the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) are missing him.
Speaking during the valedictory
session of the 8th senate, the senator who defected from the PDP to the All
Progressives Congress (APC) in August, described his stay at the senate as
“happy and sad”.
Akpabio said the experience was
mixed because some of his colleagues died before the end of their tenure.
He congratulated the 8th assembly
for “remaining focused” despite turbulent times, saying he would join the 9th
senate as soon as “I reclaim my mandate”.
“I want to start by apologising
to my colleague in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). I know they are missing
me but I want to apologise to them for the way and manner I moved to join Mr
president to stabilise Nigeria,” Akpabio said.
“I thank the entire 8th senate
for giving me the opportunity to be the minority leader, and to make history as
the first senator since 1999 to be given the role of a leader in this hallowed
chamber.
“My President, you and I know
that I have forgiven you if you wronged me, even as we are departing from here,
if there is still need, you can see me outside after. In the entirety of the
senate, I want to thank all of you for indulging me, for particularly
tolerating me. Where I went wrong, please forgive me.
“Let me say this, the 8th senate
achieved a lot, despite turbulent periods, we remained focused. We made sure
that the interest of Nigeria came first.
“But I must say I enjoyed my stay
here. It’s a different thing to be a senator and it’s a different thing to be a
governor. It is good to taste the legislature first before you become a
governor but should you become a governor first, it is also good to bring the
experience into the legislature.
“My President, my constituency is
very delighted because through this senate, with the constituency projects, we
were able to carry out over 80 projects across my senatorial district and I can
tell you I went beyond my senatorial district to also touch others.
He also enjoined the next senate
president to create a level playing field for all the senators and urged the
9th senate to reform the electoral act.
“My president, you indulge some
of us too much. I want the next senate president to “give a level playing field
to all because the senate is a leveler. Once you come here, you are all
distinguished colleagues,” Akpabio said.
“I want the next senate president
to ensure that there is a level playing field; if you give two minutes to me,
give two to Dino (Melaye), let Dino not take 10 minutes and when it is my time,
you tell me it is time up as though …I’ll raise my hand for a long time and
Dino will walk in and be recognised. This disparity should be checked.
“In the 9th senate, it is time to
reform the electoral act, we must make sure that every vote counts in Nigeria.
A situation where the electoral umpire becomes so terribly biased that people,
even in the face of carry go, the political party won’t matter, they will not
take that into cognisance.”
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