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Tinubu’s administration deserves your prayers, Akpabio tells religious leaders

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2 years ago

•President is a promise keeper –Revd Ogunmuyiwa

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has urged religious leaders to collaborate with the present administration to achieve its aim of getting the nation out of the economic doldrums.

Akpabio made the plea at the weekend while speaking at the Thanksgiving Service on the 23rd Synod/Congress of Abuja Province of the African Church of Nigeria.

Represented by Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong, the President of the Senate declared that considering the overwhelming challenges facing the country, spiritual leaders must give their best to cooperate with the Bola Tinubu administration to confront what he called forces “that have held Nigeria down all these years.”

He assured the gathering that the 10th National Assembly under his watch would not fail in its responsibility to complement the religious leaders with favourable legislation that would stimulate the favourable changes Nigerians crave for.

He said: “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.”

“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 participates 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 the spiritual and political dominance of the Western world. Indeed, the 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.”

Akpabio who thanked God for His immense support in his political career said the exalted seat of the “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.

“I wish to state that God has a 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, 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.”

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 as 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.

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