Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has declared that President Bola Tinubu inherited an economy in shambles but has transformed the situation through what he described as innovative thinking and economic reengineering.
Akpabio said the All Progressives Congress (APC) would have enough achievements to present to Nigerians when it begins its nationwide campaign for the 2027 general election, expressing confidence that Tinubu would secure a second term in office.
The Senate President spoke on Monday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, while receiving members of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), led by its chairman, Senator Mohammed Dandutse, who paid him a courtesy visit.
In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, on Tuesday, Akpabio said the Tinubu administration had recorded significant progress since assuming office, despite the difficult economic situation it inherited.
“The current president has done a lot for Nigerians. He met an economy in shambles. When he came in, 27 states could not pay salaries and pensions, but today, the story has changed because of his reengineering and thinking out of the box,” he said.
Akpabio said the achievements of the administration would become major campaign issues ahead of the 2027 elections, adding that Nigerians would ultimately judge the Tinubu government based on its record.
“In 2027, Nigerians will separate the shafts from the grains and re-elect President Tinubu for a second term in office,” he said.
According to him, Tinubu had demonstrated an ability to introduce innovative solutions to Nigeria’s economic and developmental challenges.
“We have a president who thinks outside the box, bringing about innovation. We will have something to tell Nigerians about the unprecedented achievements of Mr President at the campaign grounds,” Akpabio said.
He challenged opposition politicians seeking to defeat Tinubu in 2027 to present their own records in public office for comparison with the achievements of the present administration.
“Someone who is challenging him cannot even tell us what he did when he was governor. I can tell you what I did when I was the governor of my state. We will tell them a lot,” he said.
Akpabio maintained that opposition politicians were aware of the achievements of the Tinubu administration but were unwilling to acknowledge them because of their political interests.
“Those in the opposition know too well the achievements of this government in the area of the economy, agriculture, security, education and fiscal policy, but because they are in the opposition, they won’t say it,” he said.
The Senate President also defended the performance of the 10th National Assembly, saying the Senate under his leadership had made significant contributions to national development.
“The 10th Senate under my leadership has made giant strides and we are very proud of it. We will continue to collaborate with the Executive arm of government to achieve more for Nigerians,” he said.
Akpabio commended members of the committee for continuing with their legislative and oversight responsibilities despite the Senate’s annual vacation.
“Even in this period of our annual vacation, you are here in Uyo doing your job,” he said.
He also cautioned against relying on information circulated on social media, insisting that politicians and Nigerians should focus on verifiable facts and achievements.
“We don’t need to listen to the social media because it is garbage in, garbage out,” Akpabio said.
The Senate President further assured senators who would not return to the 11th National Assembly that their loyalty to the APC and the Tinubu administration would not go unrecognised.
He urged them to remain committed to the party and continue to contribute to its progress and the success of the administration.
Earlier, Dandutse said the committee’s visit was part of its constitutional responsibility and an opportunity to pay homage to Akpabio as a leader.
“We are here today for a very important constitutional responsibility and to pay homage to our leader, the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
The senator commended the 10th National Assembly for legislation that he said had produced tangible benefits for Nigerians, particularly in the education sector.
“Under your leadership, we have enacted the law that is benefiting the Nigerian masses. Nigerian parents are happy because of NELFUND and TETFund,” Dandutse said.
He explained that the committee was in Akwa Ibom State to conduct sensitisation and oversight activities on infrastructure projects executed through TETFund.
“We are in Akwa Ibom State on sensitisation and oversight on all of the infrastructures executed by TETFund,” he said.
Dandutse described education as critical to Nigeria’s development, stressing that sustained investment in the sector was necessary for national progress.
“This law is fundamental to the success story of the development of Nigeria, because education is key to success,” he said.