By Godwin Akpan: Senator Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe, who is a serving Senator representing Abia-South Senatorial District of Abia State was mesmerized and taken aback following the wild jubilation from the crowd that greeted the arrival of the Senate Minority Leader, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, to the All Saints Cathedral Church, Ugwu-Avo, Arochukwu, on the occasion of the thanksgiving service of Senator Mao Ohuabunwa.
Stunned and bewildered at the reception given to the immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom State, Abaribe said: “This is simply crazy. His Excellency, you haven’t told us what you’ve done that makes Nigerians go ‘crazy’ whenever they see you.
“Is there anything you’ve done that you don’t want us to know?”
Senator Akpabio looked at Abaribe with a big smile, and said to him: “Ask them, I don’t know either; Nigerians should be able to answer that question”.
“Is there anything you’ve done that you don’t want us to know?”
Senator Akpabio looked at Abaribe with a big smile, and said to him: “Ask them, I don’t know either; Nigerians should be able to answer that question”.
This salient question by Senator Abaribe got my head cracking and thinking, and immediately, this popular biblical quote surged in and gave me some respite...’a prophet is not without honour except in his home town’.
Back home in Akwa Ibom State, our leaders, no matter how good their track records, are hardly respected and valued.
Our leaders are vilified, lampooned and lambasted at all times. Our people both young and old, takes delight in publishing foolshood against their leaders with no recourse to posterity.
But surprisingly, these same leaders of ours are highly respected, cherished, adored and celebrated when they leave the shores of the state by people who have benefited little or nothing from the state.
On this occasion, having accompanied the Minority Leader of the Senate to Abia state in an official capacity, I believe I am well positioned to put record straight following several publication making the rounds in an allege interview granted by the Distinguished Senator GOA in Abia State.
Immediately after the church service was over, some Newsmen, notably, from the Nigerian Television Authority - NTA (local station), approached me and sought to speak with the Distinguished senator, having been advised to meet me in order to facilitate the interview.
I approached the Minority Leader and conveyed the wish of the newsmen to him and with no dilly-dally, he accepted to speak with them.
Here goes the interaction (Unedited) between the newsmen and Sen. Godswill Obot Akpabio, as clearly seen in this footage.
Here goes the interaction (Unedited) between the newsmen and Sen. Godswill Obot Akpabio, as clearly seen in this footage.
Video credit: FOR THE LOVE OF NIGERIA
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