Joe Effiong, Uyo
The Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Caucus in National Assembly, Senator Bassey Albert has debunked the claim that he wanted to shut down Sen. Godswill Akpabio’s ministerial nomination during the screening process on Wednesday.
Sen. Albert had lifted his hand to speak but was stopped by the president of the senate, thus allowing Akpabio to take a bow and leave.
A statement issued by his media officer, My Anny Michaels, and made available to Daily Sun, said rather than shut down Akpabio’s nomination, Albert was trying to congratulate the ministerial nominee and show appreciation to the president for the nomination.
The statement said Sen Abbert has now called on Akpabio to “pursue reconciliation and healing” as a panacea to bring the much needed federal government presence to the State.
Senator Albert, speaking on behalf of the three senators representing Akwa Ibom State in the Senate, made the call Wednesday 24th July after Senator Akpabio was screened by the Senate.
“Given the capacity of the nominee from Akwa Ibom, the Senators from Akwa Ibom State should have been given the opportunity to appreciate the President for appointing Senator Akpabio as a minister as well as solicit his support to work with the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr Udom Emmanuel, to develop the State and to attract the much needed federal government presence to Akwa Ibom,” he was quoted to have said.
He added that, “But in the wisdom of the Senate President my leader, he felt that the comments of the Senate Minority leader would suffice.”
“How could we have shut down his nomination? Here is a man I worked under for seven and a half years as a Commissioner for Finance.”
“Tell me why should we shut down his nomination?”
“What We wanted to say is for him Senator Akpabio to pursue reconciliation and healing considering the circumstances surrounding the outcome and fallout of the last general election, and to support President Buhari to realize His Vision for a better Nigeria.
“This is time for governance not politics,” he opined and stressed the need for all to work together for the common good of our people.
On whether Akpabio as a minister would once again trigger off power struggle in the state, Albert said that every politics is local, and that power belongs to God and resides in the people not with the Governor, not with the Minister, not with the Senator.
“But this is time for governance. We should wave politics aside, please,“ he said, adding that when 2023 comes, the people of Akwa Ibom State will once again decide.