• • • Your emergence finally doused religious tension in the country — Clergy

Senator Godswill Akpabio, has described his emergence as the President of the 10th Senate, as call for service to Nigerians and all round transformation of the country, just as he called on the church to take its rightful position in the affairs of the country.

Akpabio stated this in his goodwill message at the Thanksgiving Service on the 23rd Synod/Congress of Abuja Province of the African Church, on Sunday.

The President of the Senate, whose goodwill message was delivered on his behalf by Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong, said: “To me, this Senate President position is a call to serve our people and to transform Nigeria. I feel highly honoured and humbled that I am today in a position to support our President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu in building the Nigeria of our collective dreams.”

According to Akpabio, “I wish to state that God has special love for me. How does one explain the humungous undeserving blessings He continually showers on me? How would I have imagined that from my very humble beginning in Ukana Ikot Ntuen, Essien Udim, Local Government of Akwa Ibom State, that I, Godswill Akpabio will rise to the coveted office of President of the Nigerian Senate? Indeed, our God is marvellous and greater than all imaginations.”

He stated further: “I could not have missed this auspicious event given the significance of the theme of the occasion: The Church and Politics. The present challenge which our Country Nigeria is facing calls for urgent divine intervention through earnest fervent prayers.

“By this, I do not in any way mean to undermine the role that we as leaders in whatever sphere, whether spiritual or temporal, must play to defeat the numerous forces that have held Nigeria down all these years. God willing and with renewed zeal and commitment, we shall begin to see progress in religious, political, economic, social, and cultural aspects of our lives.”

Speaking further, Akpabio stated: “My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we embark on this journey of Nigeria’s rebirth, it is imperative that the Church upholds its responsibility of serving as the moral compass and a reorientation platform for the citizens. Nigeria will only make meaningful progress when every stakeholder and key player participate in nation building.

“It is common knowledge that Christians are called to be the light and salt of the world. According to one writer, “we cannot be the light and the salt to this generation without getting involved in politics and understanding the ethos and structures of governance.

“You may recall how the African Church at inception fought for the liberation of the Blacks from spiritual and political dominance of Western world. Indeed, time has come for the Church to take its position as a primary driver of progressive change. It’s now or never, as Nigerians are eager for a new sustainable order.

“At the level of legislation, we will push for greater collaboration with the greater community which includes the church by extension. On behalf of the Senate and the National Assembly, I thank you once again for the opportunity to join you at the Thanksgiving Service on the 2023 Synod/Congress of Abuja Province,” he concluded.

In his sermon, with the theme, “Church and Politics” the Archbishop Abuja Metropolitan Province, Most Reverend Dr Peter Ogunmuyiwa, charged Christians to take part in politics to make a difference. He noted that he was one of those Bishops who stood against the Muslim/Muslim ticket, but a change of heart when he had a personal encounter with the then presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) now President Bola Tinubu.

According to him, “The emergence of Senator Godswill Akpabio as the President of the Senate has doused religious tension in the country. When I met President Tinubu before his election, he promised me that he would ensure that a Christian emerged the Senate President having had a Muslim as the President and Vice President respectively.”

“Tinubu is a promise keeper. I expect the Senate under Akpabio’s leadership to stand for the people by allocating resources to where it is most needed because that is what will speak for you.

“Nothing is evil in politics. Practitioners make it look as if it is evil. We pray that Nigeria shall be better and great again. I congratulate President Bola Tinubu, the Vice president and the Senate President. We are beginning to see the signs that it is no more business as usual,” he declared.

•PHOTO: Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s rep, Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong, with the clergy at the Thanksgiving Service on the 23rd Synod/Congress of Abuja Province of the African Church, on Sunday

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