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2023 Presidency: Lawan storms South-South to woo party delegates
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan on Friday visited two states in the South-South region of the country in continuation of his consultations and campaign to solicit more support for his Presidential bid ahead of the upcoming primaries of the All Progressives Congress(APC).
Lawan met with the party leaders and delegates in Cross River and Akwa Ibom states urging them to consider his impeccable credentials for the job and what he has to offer if given the ticket of his party.
At the two locations, the Senate President told the delegates that he was confident, as a true Nigerian, of winning the election if APC should give him the mandate.
Lawan told the delegates: “I have not only Parliamentary experience but experience in governance as well.
“Having served very closely with the executive arm of government, I have acquired a great deal of experience in governance.
“I know the issues. I know those issues that concern Nigerians. The issues are: Security. Security of our people, security for our people across the country. The Economy. We need to create employment opportunities. Create wealth for our people.
“We need to diversify our economy. The youth in this country need to be full participants in the economy of our country. We need Education because education is the foundation for development of any society.
“We need to have a knowledge based economy. Education opens many doors, many opportunities. We have to invest reasonably and sustainably. In Agriculture, we find more opportunities even than in the oil industry. But we should modernise our agriculture.
“We have acquired experience to be able to continue with what we think will make Nigeria better. I believe in teamwork because no matter how experienced you are, you need supporting hands. People who have acquired experiences, skills and expertise that you can always depend upon to work with dealing with some of these challenges.
“I believe we fight criminals until they submit. Fight them with all the powers that you can garner but I also believe that we must deal with the causes for which people find themselves on the wrong side of the road.
“That is to say that: give people education. Create employment opportunities. Deal with that on one hand so as to prevent people from becoming criminals. But those who turn to criminals must never be given any space.
“In the last seven years as an administration, so many empowerment programmes especially youth empowerment programmes have been introduced by this administration.
“I believe that we should continue with the empowerment programmes but ensure that we are able to always refocus, retool, to see that we get the kind of outcome that we expect. That is, to take people away from poverty but the surest way is to give people education, education and education.
“Our party, the All Progressives Congress is giving every aspirant an opportunity to run. And I’m taking that opportunity because I believe that if I have the opportunity to be the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, by the Grace of God, I will win the election for us.
“I will get the support of every part of Nigeria. Every part of Nigeria will elect me because I’m a true Nigerian. Someone who believes in Nigeria.”
Responding, the Deputy Chairman of APC in Cross River State, Prince Eka Williams, applauded the Senate President for being a stabiliser and for job well done at the National Assembly.
He said: “The delegates have asked me to tell you that because you are a stabiliser of the Assembly and because you have been able to handle the Senate in such a way that everybody in Nigeria has come to say the Senate President of this ninth Assembly is a very thorough politician.
“We have not heard of impeachment here and there. We have not heard of delay in the passage of bills. So we say you have done well.
“You are already in the corridor of power. You will not need to learn. We only want to give you our blessings that as you go round, may God be with you.”
In a similar vein, the Chairman of APC in Akwa Ibom state, Obong Stephen Leo Ntuekpo too described Lawan as one of the outstanding aspirants.
“Akwa Ibom state APC is proud to have you as one of the outstanding aspirants in the race. Your coming into the race is not a threat to the party but a demonstration of the passion which you have along with other aspirants,” Ntuekpo said.
Lawan’s entourage to the two States included former Governor of Abia State and Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, former Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, Senator John Eno and the Special Adviser on Political Affairs to the Senate President, Abdullahi Gumel.
Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpabio has accused Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Elisha Abbo of being united I coordinated attacks against him lately.
He stated this following Natasha’s claims during a rally in her Kogi Central Senatorial District that he recruited the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello to assassinate her outside Abuja.
At the rally on Tuesday 1st April, 2025 which was monitored by CAPITAL POST in Lokoja, Natasha accused the former Governor Yahaya Bello, having been contacted late in the night of March 12, 2025 to orchestrated ‘recall and assassination’ of her outside Abuja.
Natasha said she has intelligence reports that when she is killed in her Constituency, “it will look as if it’s her people that killed her.”
Though Bello was yet to issue a statement debunking the allgations or otherwise, Senate President on his part denied the allegation and described it as falsehood and inflammatory.
Reacting in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publici, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh on Friday, Akpabio accused former Senator representing Adamawa North Senatorial, Elisha Abbo of toeing the similar part of blackmail, saying barely 24 hours later, on April 2, 2025, Elisha Abbo appeared on Arise Television to revive a previously withdrawn claim that Senator Akpabio “manipulated the judiciary” to secure his removal from the Senate.
The statement said: “Nigerians will recall that Mr. Abbo, in 2023, publicly retracted this same accusation and tendered an apology after acknowledging that his claims were founded on incorrect assumptions.
“His removal from office was the outcome of a constitutionally grounded judicial decision by the Court of Appeal, which independently determined that he was not duly elected to represent Adamawa North.
“In a further twist, Mr. Abbo also alleged that he was denied his entitlements by the Senate President. This, too, is categorically false. Entitlements such as salaries and allowances are processed strictly through administrative and legal procedures.
“The Senate President does not and cannot unilaterally approve or deny such requests. Any delays or rejections would have been based solely on due diligence and compliance with established protocols.
“The timing, tone, and striking similarity of these coordinated attacks point clearly to a politically motivated smear campaign. These individuals—backed by undisclosed interests—appear united in a desperate effort to undermine the credibility of the Senate and its leadership and intended to distract from their own personal and political shortcomings and failings.
“Senator Godswill Akpabio remains undeterred. As a statesman devoted to national unity, institutional integrity, and the rule of law, he will not be distracted by malicious falsehoods or inflammatory rhetoric.
“Regardless of the necessity for legal redress, formal letters of demand, seeking immediate public retractions, apologies, and compensation for reputational harm, are underway to be served on both Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Mr Elisha Abbo.
“We call on the Nigerian public in particular and the International Community to reject these baseless and provocative narratives. The Senate, under Senator Akpabio’s leadership, remains focused on its constitutional mandate: to promote legislative excellence, safeguard democratic values, and deliver meaningful progress for the Nigerian people”, the statement concluded.
Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has expressed heartfelt sympathy over the demise of Hon. Suleiman Muhammed, the Kogi East Zonal Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a condolence message to the family of the deceased and members of the APC in Kogi state, described the sudden passing of the APC Zonal chairman as a loss not only for the party in Kogi East but the entire APC family in the state.
According to the Governor “The late Hon. Suleiman Muhammed was a man of peace, humility, and one who demonstrated commitment to the service of the state and the APC as a party. He carried the aspirations of his people with dignity; his leadership was widely respected and his contributions deeply valued within and beyond the APC in Kogi East”.
“He was instrumental in strengthening party cohesion and promoting inclusive dialogue. His presence in every party engagement brought stability and thoughtful leadership to our consultations in the zone.”
Governor Ododo further noted that Hon. Suleiman’s calm temperament, sense of fairness, and ability to listen distinguished him as a unifying figure in the party.
The Governor also extends condolences to the family of the deceased, the leadership and members of the APC in the state, the people of Dekina local government area and the entire Kogi East Senatorial District.
He prayed that Almighty Allah (SWT) forgive his shortcomings and grant him Aljanatul Firdaus.
The late APC zonal chairman who served as the APC coordinator in Odu Ward 2 before becoming the zonal chairman of the party in Kogi East died at the age of 45 and has been laid to rest according to Islamic rites.
News
Assassination Plot: Natasha’s manipulative theatrics to whip public sentiments worrisome – Akpabio
President of the Senate, Godswill Obot Akpabio has accused the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of manipulative theatrics on the sensibilities of the Nigerian public to whip sentiments.
He said his attention has been drawn to claims by the embattled lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District that he recruited the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello to plot her assassination outside Abuja.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Senate President, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh and made available to CAPITAL POST on Friday in Abuja, Akpabio described Natasha’s claims as inflammatory and highly condemnation.
Denying the accusation, Akpabio noted that the outrageous and false accusation in Natasha’s address to her constituents on Tuesday 1st April, 2025 was meant to malign him lately.
Part of the statement read: “The Office of the President of the Senate strongly condemns the recent baseless, false and inflammatory accusation made by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, in which she falsely alleged that the Senate President, His Excellency, Senator Godswill Akpabio, was involved in a plot to assassinate her.
“While speaking in Kogi State on April 1, 2025, the suspended Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan recklessly and maliciously claimed that Senator Godswill Akpabio “recruited” former Governor Yahaya Bello to “assassinate her in Kogi State rather than in Abuja.”
“This outrageous accusation is not only false but a complete fabrication and deeply irresponsible and dangerous attempt to provoke public unrest, attract media attention, and discredit the person and office of the President of the Senate for ulterior motives.
“It is important to remind the public that this same individual had previously made an unsubstantiated accusation of sexual harassment against Senator Akpabio—a claim she seem to have abandoned without explanation.
“Having failed to gain traction with that narrative, she has now escalated her campaign of misinformation to a deadly and defamatory dimension.
Akpabio further explained how Natasha had engaged in this troubling pattern in years past, hence, attention of Nigerians have been drawn to such filthy games that shouldn’t be taken seriously.
“This pattern of deliberate falsehoods and manipulative theatrics reveals a troubling willingness to exploit public sensitivities through recurring victimhood narratives.
“It is a matter of public record that she has previously made assassination allegations against former Governor Yaya Bello and others in 2019 and 2023, along with multiple unsubstantiated claims of sexual harassment against other dignitaries.
“Her recurring persecution narrative and evident lying complex should not be weaponized to malign individuals or destroy hard-earned reputations.
Interestingly, this latest reckless allegation is not occurring in isolation”, he concluded.
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