…Akpabio Promises to be Servant-Leader

…Abass Says He’ll Be Fair To All

The new leaders of both chambers of the National Assembly, the Senate and the House of Representatives, have reassured their members that they will discharge their duties with fairness to all and be servant-leader focusing on their growth and well being.

President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday promised his colleagues that the seat of the number three highest political office shall “be a servant-leadership; it shall be an uncommon leadership. I assure you that I will discharge the responsibilities of this office with utmost dedication, integrity, and fairness”, he said in his acceptance speech.

He extended his hands of fellowship to all senators, including those who, at a time, may have had different opinions regarding the leadership of the Senate. His words :”these expressions of differing and opposing opinions and views are but the fabric that democracy is made of. Democracy, ultimately, has to do with choice, and there can be no real choice where and when there are no alternatives. It is time now to go forward with the task set before us as a collective body – the promulgation of laws and enactments for the well-being and security of the country and as a check on the executive arm of the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in our oversight functions”.

The Senate President commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whom he described as being committed to a strong economy, national security, inclusion and the rule of law. “The antecedents of Mr President and his actions in office these past two weeks give not just a pointer but bear witness to an executive government that knows the challenges of the country and is in a hurry to resolve the same.

“We should therefore, anticipate an executive that is pro-active, progressive and practical. Our laws must therefore, align with the vision of Mr. President to protect and provide for our people at the innermost core of their essence while our actions must also guarantee the best and most efficient use of our national commonwealth”, he stressed.

He said the Senate should rise to partner with the President and provide the required legislative framework and legal environment for him to anchor the policies and programmes that he espouses for the country.

In achieving these, the Senate President called for cooperation from senators from other parties stressing that :”Yes, we may have come to the National Assembly through the instrumentalities of different political parties, so it is appropriate to recognize and respect our differing perceptions and positions on issues that will be brought before this chamber.

“However, in all matters of national interest, we are enjoined to remember that we are first and foremost, Distinguished Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, before our roles as representatives and members of our individual political parties. There is therefore every reason to support good policies and programmes of the federal government, and I call on you to put this national interest first at all times. Our Senate, the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, will be a senate for all Nigeria. Together, we shall be greater than the sum of our individual political parties”, he stressed.

The Senate President commended the President, vice President Kashim Shettima and Senator Abdullahi Adamu the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In his acceptance speech, the Speaker, Hon Tajudeen Abbas assured members of the House of Representatives you that he “shall be just and fair to every one of you irrespective of our perceived differences. This victory is not just about me; it is about all of us coming together as a united House to serve the Nigerian people diligently. It is about honouring the trust that has been placed on us and working tirelessly to deliver on our promises of good governance and effective representation”, he said.

He promised that the 10th House of Representatives shall introduce reforms and innovations for the benefit of Nigerians promising that : “in a few weeks, we shall be reeling out the legislative agenda that will shape the 10th House of Representatives”.

Below are the full texts of the acceptance speeches of the Senate President and the Speaker House of Representatives.

ACCEPTANCE SPEECH DELIVERED BY H.E. DISTINGUISHED SENATOR (CHIEF) GODSWILL OBOT AKPABIO, CON, ON HIS ELECTION AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, THIS 13TH DAY OF JUNE, 2023.

H.E. the Deputy Senate President, Distinguished Senator Jibrin Barau, The Senate Leader, Principal Officers of the Senate, Distinguished Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Gentlemen of the Press, Ladies and gentlemen.

To God Almighty the creator of the universe, who alone is supreme be all glory, honour, majesty, dominion and power. I bow before you and acknowledge your inestimable control of all that we do and that we are.

2. Today marks a historic moment as we embark on a new chapter in the Senate. Distinguished Senators, today, I stand before you humbled, honored, and filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude and responsibility as I acknowledge and accept your call to serve as the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I assure you that I will discharge the responsibilities of this office with utmost dedication, integrity, and fairness.

3. I am humbled because your choice reflects the collective will of the Senate, this assembly of Nigerians whose role and responsibilities for Nigeria is at the apex of the demands of true patriotism, loyalty and devotion to the country. As the Senate, you represent the entire country and your choice is a reflection of the choice of your constituents, of all Nigeria. And I thank you very sincerely for it.

4. Many of the challenges we have had, and many of the defining moments of our historic journey as a nation towards true democracy, have been met and made by those who have hitherto occupied this seat. I am therefore immensely grateful not only for the great trust you have placed in me today by electing me as the President of the Senate but also for the opportunity to serve our great nation, the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

5. I assure you, Distinguished Senators, that I am mindful of the enormous responsibilities that this position calls for. You will have my cooperation in all matters and our joint efforts will be one of team-work. I extend my sincere hands of fellowship to all of us, including those who, at a time, may have had different opinions regarding the leadership of the Senate. These expressions of differing and opposing opinions and views are but the fabric that democracy is made of. Democracy, ultimately, has to do with choice, and there can be no real choice where and when there are no alternatives. It is time now to go forward with the task set before us as a collective body – the promulgation of laws and enactments for the well-being and security of the country and as a check on the executive arm of the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in our oversight functions. Together, we shall reach and surpass the expectations of the Nigerian people regarding us, and our roles in building a better, safer, more inclusive, prosperous, efficient and ethical country.

6. I am pleased, as I am sure that you too are, that we have in His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, a President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who is committed to a strong economy, national security, inclusion and the rule of law. The antecedents of Mr President and his actions in office these past two weeks give not just a pointer but bear witness to an executive government that knows the challenges of the country and is in a hurry to resolve the same. We should therefore, anticipate an executive that is pro-active, progressive and practical. Our laws must therefore, align with the vision of Mr. President to protect and provide for our people at the innermost core of their essence while our actions must also guarantee the best and most efficient use of our national commonwealth.

7. Government is a continuum and the Senate is no less so. We shall therefore, further strengthen the legislative space in continuation of the laudable efforts made by the 9th Senate under the able leadership of H.E. Senator Ahmed Lawan, GCON, President of the 9th Senate. Chief among these are:

i. Gender matters, with specific affirmative provisions to guarantee women’s inclusivity;

ii. Issues relating to persons with special needs and equality;

iii. Engaging, empowering and rewarding our resourceful and innovative youths in terms of protection of intellectual innovations and property, and improved access to finance for technological start-ups. We must recognize and prepare for a mid-21st century global economy that places a premium on intellectual content and knowledge, and our young men and women must be supported to engage competitively;

iv. Expansion of the revenue streams available to the country, especially from our huge but largely unregulated natural and solid mineral resources base. These additional sources of revenue will build the nation’s resilience to shocks and stresses resulting from the fluctuation of oil prices in the international market;

v. We will, as a forward-looking Senate, pass laws that emphasize economic viability, social acceptability and environmental sustainability, to encourage alternate and green technologies without prejudicing our developmental needs.

8. We must, therefore, as a Senate, rise to partner with His Excellency the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and provide the required legislative framework and legal environment for him to anchor the policies and programmes that he espouses for the country. In doing this, I will particularly like to address our Distinguished colleagues from other parties. Yes, we may have come to the National Assembly through the instrumentalities of different political parties, so it is appropriate to recognize and respect our differing perceptions and positions on issues that will be brought before this chamber. However, in all matters of national interest, we are enjoined to remember that we are first and foremost, Distinguished Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, before our roles as representatives and members of our individual political parties. There is therefore every reason to support good policies and programmes of the federal government, and I call on you to put this national interest first at all times. Our Senate, the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, will be a senate for all Nigeria. Together, we shall be greater than the sum of our individual political parties. On my part, Distinguished Senators, I affirm that this leadership shall be yours. It shall be a servant leadership; it shall be an uncommon leadership.

9. To the Nigerian people, I say this: your dreams, your aspirations, and your well-being will be at the heart of everything we will do in this Senate. I urge you to remain hopeful, steadfast, and united. Nigerians must remember that the nation is caught up in global challenges and upheavals which have far reaching consequences; the impact of armed conflicts in Europe and Africa, as well as global political and economic realignments are but a few of these events impacting Nigeria, other countries in Africa and even beyond. Our Senate will remain watchful of, and will be responsive to, these events.

10. Finally I plead with you, Distinguished Senators, to permit me to offer special commendation to the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. On behalf of the Senate I thank you for the fatherly but decisive manner in which you have commenced the journey of piloting the affairs of our great country. Our nation is better off with you at the helm of affairs. We also thank in a special way the Vice President, His Excellency Senator Kashim Shettima GCON. The leadership of our great party, the All Progressives Congress, headed by our indefatigable Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, CON, has provided tremendous guidance to us all. Thank you for your wise counsel during the course of the search for the leadership of the 10th Senate. I also thank the Clerk, management and all staff of the National Assembly, and I offer my sincere gratitude to them for efficiently organizing the inauguration of the 10th Senate.

11. To my dear wife, Her Excellency Unoma Ekaette Godswill-Akpabio, I thank you for the prayers you have made on behalf of this quest. May God continue to reward the sacrifices that you and the rest of the family have put up with.

Thank you all, and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

H.E. Chief Godswill Obot-Akpabio, CON

President of the Senate, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

INAUGURAL SPEECH BY THE SPEAKER OF THE 10TH HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, RT. HON. TAJUDEEN ABBAS (PH.D), DELIVERED ON TUESDAY JUNE 13, 2023 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CHAMBERS

Honourable Colleagues, today, I stand before you with immense joy and gratitude as we celebrate a momentous victory for the 10th House of Representatives. I want to express my deepest appreciation to each and every one of you who believed in me and supported my candidacy. I am indeed humbled and honoured to be elected as your Speaker, as the Speaker of the Nigerian people.

2. I offer my deepest gratitude and thanks to the Almighty God for His divine guidance and blessings throughout this journey. It is through His grace that I stand before you today as the Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives.

3. I wish to sincerely thank you all for finding me worthy of being your Speaker, out of the 360 of us, who are all equals. I also thank Almighty Allah for making this journey possible. To the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and my party, the APC, I say a big thank you for finding me competent to be nominated to serve in this position for the Nigerian people. I thank every other person who has directly or indirectly contributed to this journey.

4. This victory is not just about me; it is about all of us coming together as a united House to serve the Nigerian people diligently. It is about honouring the trust that has been placed on us and working tirelessly to deliver on our promises of good governance and effective representation.

5. It is worthy to note that the speakership campaign witnessed in the past few months was democracy at play. But today, all of that has come to pass, and it is time to forge ahead and work together for our people for our common good.

6. I do not take this mandate bestowed on me as the Nigerian Speaker for granted. I want to assure you today that I shall be just and fair to every one of you irrespective of our perceived differences. I shall operate a House that you all will be proud of. I shall be guided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the House Rules. Our doors will be open for members of APC, PDP, Labour Party, NNPP, APGA, SDP, ADC and YPP as we strongly believe nation building is a Joint Task.

7. My dear colleagues, those of us that were privileged to serve in the just concluded 9th House of Representatives will attest to the fact that appreciable successes had been recorded under my predecessor, Rt. Hon. Femi Hakeem Gbajabiamila, CFR, who from tomorrow, will assume office as the Chief of Staff to the President/Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria. I will like to congratulate him for finishing his tenure as Speaker successfully and for his new national assignment. The former Speaker remains a great Nigerian whose service to the fatherland in the past 20 years as a legislator is unmatched. I commend him for his sacrifices for Nigeria and his support for the new 10th House of Representatives.

8. Honourable Colleagues, under my watch, the 10th House shall sustain and even surpass the gains of the 9th House. That is my prayer. We shall carry out the TASK before us JOINTLY. We shall introduce reforms and innovations for the benefit of Nigerians. In a few weeks, we shall be reeling out the legislative agenda that will shape the 10th House of Representatives.

9. We shall work closely and inter-dependently with the Executive and Judiciary to give Nigerians the good governance they deserve. We stand at a crucial juncture in our nation’s history, where challenges abound, but so do opportunities. We will champion legislation that will uplift the lives of our fellow citizens, promote social justice, and drive sustainable development.

10. We will focus on strengthening our security apparatus, collaborating with relevant stakeholders to combat insurgency, terrorism, and all forms of criminalities. We aim to help create a safe and secure environment that fosters economic growth and social stability.

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11. Through legislation, the 10th House will promote entrepreneurship and support small and medium-scale enterprises. We shall diversify our economy and provide sustainable employment opportunities for our youth. We are aware of the challenges in our education, healthcare, and infrastructure sectors amongst others.

12. We will work in harmony with the executive arm, while upholding principles of checks and balances. Our collaboration will be anchored on the principles of transparency, accountability, and respect for the rule of law.

13. Honourable Colleagues, may I remind all of us that we hold our respective offices in trust for the Nigerian people. We MUST, therefore, justify the confidence reposed in us by our constituents to represent their interests and work committedly for our dear nation.

14. Working closely with my deputy, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, we shall provide purposeful leadership in the 10th House of Representatives.

15. My dear colleagues, I invite you all to be on board for the next four years as we embark on this Nigerian Project to RENEW the HOPE of our people.

May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!