President Bola Tinubu on Thursday, December 14, said that nationhood and belief in one country will put Nigeria on the right path.
Tinubu made this assertion in his speech at the lecture/Colloquium in Abuja to mark Senate president Godswill Akpabio’s 61st birthday.
The theme of the event was “Legislative Agenda for National Development.”
Tinubu described Akpabio as a man who is committed to the value of national development.
He said: “The opportunity you (Akpabio) offered us to listen to the lead speaker and his recommendations will be definitely looked into for a more deeper legislative activity and collaboration between all of us.
“We will work together. While we consider the affairs of this country, the nationhood and the belief in one country will put us on the right path.
“Having you as a partner and I think (Tajudeen) Abbas as a partner, as the Speaker, is good enough for me to succeed.
“Inshallah, we will succeed. I appreciate Godswill Akpabio, God will help you, God will guide you.
“I believe in the person of Godswill Akpabio; he is truly Godswill.
“I know him as as a governor, as a commissioner in Akwa-Ibom. We share the same vision even though he was a commissioner, he is extremely inquisitive.
“He transformed Akwa-Ibom tremendously. He built one of the most effective drainage systems in Akwa-Ibom. Today, up till now, no matter how heavy the rain is, you will never find casualties.
“All the other beautiful things you (Akpabio) did, the stadium, the hotel, that caring for the lives of the people of Akwa-Ibom, is exceptionally great.
“On this occasion of your birthday anniversary, I’m delighted to join your family, friends, colleagues and Nigerians from across the country wishing you long life, good health, peace, satisfaction and gratitude for abiding grace of God Almighty.”
On his part, Akpabio said that the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration “is real and this government is a corrective government.
“Our legislative agenda is going to be people-centred,” he said.
He also said that the National Assembly would consider the recommendations spelt out by the guest speaker.
“We have taken note that we should unbundle INEC; we have taken note that we should involve our traditional rulers.
“We have taken note that most of the colonial laws are still in existence by virtue of the constitutional law given to us. We will work on these things,” he said.
Similarly, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas said that Akpabio, throughout his distinguished career, showed valuable assistance, strategic thinking and innovative leadership.
The Chairman of the occasion and former Senate president, Anyim Pius Anyim noted that Akpabio has a date with destiny.
“You have emerged as President of the Senate at a time so much dexterity is required to redirect the course of our nation, reset our national agenda, and re- envision our future as a people.”
Anyim insisted on the need to align legislative agenda with the executive agenda.
He said that the agenda when properly aligned, would reset national priorities, bench mark national interest and redefine development.
Earlier, the Guest Speaker and former President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr Olisa Agbakoba SAN, said the country must to tackle insecurity, to restore peace and development.
Agbakoba said: “The first question is how can we find peace. Is it by armed force? It will be by executive and legislative processes.
“We can’t win, in my opinion, the war by armed force. So I will suggest to the National Assembly to consider the possibility of inviting the ethnic nationalities, the owners of Nigeria.
“The traditional rulers that are being ignored, I believe they have a hand in the constitutional process. If this is done we will achieve peace.
“Together with our traditional rulers who I think are being ignored in the process, we might be able to resolve these Boko Haram IPOB crisis.”
He also insisted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) “is doing far too much” and therefore must be unbundled.
According to him, “INEC is doing far too much. In the (Mohammed) Uwais report, we recommended creating the Electoral Offences Commission.
“I urge the 10th National Assembly to simply enact the recommendations. The Electoral Act makes a mockery of democracy, so we can correct that by passing all the recommendations of the Uwais Panel.”
The Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau who was also the Host of the event said that the colloquium was the culmination of events to mark the 61st birthday of Akpabio.
He described Akpabio as a leader par excellence who was always willing to give his quota to the development of the country.
“Hence the decision to organise this colloquium in order to contribute to the effort of the Senate and the entire Nigeria towards giving Nigerians the best.
“Leading to the transformation of our dear country in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of our President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“The 10th Senate feels that as we work with the President of this country to lay the foundation for the Renewed Hope Agenda of this administration, the time has come for us to draw attention to the critical mandate imposed on the Senate and the National Assembly by the Constitution.
“And to engender an inclusive process of executing the mandate by working with a broad section of our society to design a legislative agenda for national development.”
Barau further said that the National Assembly was in the process of reshaping the Constitution and legal frameworks that would make good governance a way of life and democratic consolidation the legitimate expectations of the people.
Dignitaries that graced the event include the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and traditional rulers and members of the diplomatic corps.
