Dear Distinguished Senators,

AKPABIO: REWARD FOR A POLITICAL LAST MINUTE DEAL COLOURED IN CHRISTIAN REPRESENTATION.

Let me congratulate you on your election in the 10th Senate and consequently your inauguration today.

It is extremely important that we rightly situate the challenges of the enormity of your responsibility as members of the 10th Senate to help our nation heal from the damage done to our body polity and National unity by the Muslim/Muslim ticket of Mr President and his Vice President.

Distinguished Senators must therefore stand their ground not to be dragged into things that have no capacity to unite but only divide; I mean religious politics.

Today the 13th of June 2023, as elected Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the 10th Senate, you will be inaugurated. After which you will perform your first constitutional and official duty, which is the election of your leaders.

This first duty, as the constitution empowers you, do so, without given any consideration to loyalty to any person, group, ethnicity or religion.

Distinguished, Absolute sense of respect must be given to the rule of law by strictly adhering to section (50) 1, of The 1999 constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended), it must guide in absolutism your first duty as elected Senators.

It clearly states, how the leadership of the NASS should emerge, (a) a president and a Deputy president of the senate who shall be elected by members of that house from among themselves; and…

This clause above all should must inform your course of action.

Left in the race to be decided as fitting to preside over the 10th senate by you are, Godswill Akpabio and Abdul’azziz Yari.

Owing to the impact of last minute manoeuvring could lead to pendulum swinging in politics. I thought it wise to bring to the knowledge of newly elected members into the Senate and particularly Nigerians whose sentiments and emotions are been ploughed by people working to promote their candidates on sentiments they thought may create soft landing for their candidates if they eventually win. My counsel is a reminder to returning Senators who are no strangers to Akpabio’s “respect” to the institution of Senate, National Assembly, the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and by extension the Nigerian State. I need not remind you of the conduct of His Excellency and Distinguished Senator Akpabio as Minister of Niger Delta Development Commission with relations to the budget of his ministry.

Abdul’azziz Yari is a victim of Mr President political decision of a Muslim/Muslim ticket that got him the job. That embarrassing pairing is the reason Yari shouldn’t dare to fly his election to the office of the President of the Senate on religious ground, which is a very good development for a country terribly damaged by the desperation to push the Muslim/Muslim agenda. Issues are the only thing he is left with.

I agree with all well meaning Nigerians; is time to heal. But we must accept the fact that a country damaged by religion can’t be repaired by it. Secularism and meritocracy must be the watchword if the Senate must help us to heal from the wound inflicted on our body polity by the Muslim Muslim leadership of Tinubu/Shettima. The damage is done, we must remain reminded, but never to revert to such consideration as religion at finding our path back to national unity that can only be gotten through MERIT!

Senators in this wise must be weary of Mr President and his Team “smartness” of playing ethnic and religious cards to advance personal and selfish agenda.

I personally don’t see why religious consideration should be given as reason why Godswill Akpabio should be elected as the Senate President of the 10th Senate. When the deal that sealed his choice by Mr President was brokered politically and powered by self interest.

Emerging facts has exposed the choice of Akpabio by Mr President for what it is; “rub my back, I rub your back” frolicking by two ambitious individuals at the expense of the entire nation. Much as they have right to be ambitious, it is important that they present it for what it is and not come up with religion as a reason why Akpabio should be Senate President. It is totally unacceptable. We should be shown reason why he merits it.

Detail has been given to the deal that fetched Akpabio Tinubu’s endorsement and it is very important that you count the cost of an uniformed decision of a vote for Akpabio.

According to News Monitor which quoted the Punch Newspaper of 11th June, 2023, President Bola Tinubu’s endorsement of Senator Godswill Akpabio, for the senate presidency is a reward of the deal brokered a day before the presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress and has nothing to do with religion.

The primary, which was held at the Eagles Square in Abuja between June 6 and 8, 2022, had Tinubu, Akpabio and others as aspirants.
“Asiwaju (Tinubu) met with Akpabio and requested ofb him to step down for him. Tinubu said if the former governor would agree, it would send a positive signal to the audience and other aspirants since he (Akpabio) would be the first aspirant to be invited to the podium to speak,” one of the sources said.

Akpabio according to the news agreed but said he needed to know what would be his ‘gain’ since he had resigned as a minister and was not a senatorial aspirant.
“Asiwaju (Tinubu) assured him that he would be supported to emerge as the President of the Senate.

That was how the deal most Christians are seeing as the balancing factor was sealed.

My political advocacy in the interest of Christians and Christianity has always been in consciousness of merit for the office and values of faith by the individual Christian to be so supported.

The unbaise consideration before you as you cast your vote today is, If “competence” is what placed Shettima over Christianity and made him the Vice President, why shouldn’t responsibility place Yari over religion to make him the Senate President?

Yours in search of a better and greater Nigeria.

Apostle Dr. Bolaji Akinyemi,
Convener Apostolic Round Table.

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