Senator Godswill Akpabio, former governor of Akwa Ibom State, has said he has the capacity and capability, based on his track record of performance, to take Nigeria from her present level to the next level.
The immediate past Minister of Niger Delta Affairs added that he will ensure continuity in most of the laudable achievements of President Muhammdu Buhari.
He stated this in Ibadan on Friday, while seeking the support of All Progressives Congress (APC) delegates from Oyo State, ahead of the party’s presidential primary next week.
The former Senate Minority Leader said he wants his experience of uncommon transformation to bear on Nigeria.
He said: “I came as part of the consultations to let the good people of Nigeria know that I am vying for president under the All Progressives Congress. I’m here to seek the support of delegates from Oyo State to become the flagbearer of the party at next week’s convention.
“I have the experience and I want to make sure I bring the experience of uncommon transformation to bear on Nigeria. And I will also ensure that there is continuity in most of the laudable achievements of President Muhammdu Buhari. The roads I constructed 14 years ago as governor, they are still standing till today and there is no porthole on them. I believe in quality infrastructure.
“You can’t do good things for your people if you don’t love them, I happen to love Nigeria. As governor, I opened the Government House to all Nigerians, gave free education to all Nigerians, paid for pilgrimage for all Nigerians irrespective of state of origin and language, and I made sure that the same way I educated my children in Akwa Ibom was the same way I did for other children. I gave them free and qualitative education, scholarships and even send some of them abroad because if you educate your children and you don’t educate your neighbour’s children, you are preparing armed robbers to attack your graduate children,”
The former governor said he is coming to Nigeria with a hand of love and track record of performance that is unparallel, adding that he has seen it all as an executive at the state and federal level and as a legislator.
“Everything I did in my state was world class standard and most importantly, I took my people to God. We broke the Guinness Book of world record by assembling the largest choir to sing to the glory of God. I’m totally a detrabalised Nigerian and I don’t believe in religious bigotry. So you need an experienced hand that loves human beings and Nigeria, and somebody who has an agenda of Nigeria in his heart and practice,” Akpabio said.
Responding, Senator Teslim Folarin, the APC governorship candidate in Oyo State, said he was the one who asked Akpabio to visit state delegates in Ibadan, given their numerical strength.
“We have 99 delegates, the third highest in the country . So those who need our votes come here to see us.
“For us, those aspirants who are wooing delegates through newspapers are not serious aspirants. Among all the aspirants from outside South-West who have visited us, we will support you [Akpabio],” he said.
Speaking earlier, the coordinator of the Senator Godswill Akpabio Presidential Team, Dr Aliyu Modibbo, said the choice of who becomes the president of the country was very important.
Modibbo, who is a former Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), said such a consideration is important because there of the need to elect people with electoral value and imbued with vast experience like Akpabio.
He described Akpabio as one of the most experienced of the APC presidential aspirants, having served as a commissioner, governor, senator and minister.
Akpabio was received by Senator Folarin, the state party chairman, Mr Isaac Omodewu, youth leader, women leaders and other members of the executive of the party.
The APC presidential aspirant was accompanied to the meeting by a former governor of Taraba State, Garba Umar, General Garba Audu and Mr Sylvester Okonkwo, among others.
