•Senate President Akpabio (L), Ntenyin Etuk and a royal father
The leadership of the Ibibio Traditional Council in Akwa Ibom State has declared total support for President of the Senate and former governor of the state, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
They made the declaration on Friday while receiving Akpabio and his entourage comprising some members of the National Assembly, in the Nsit Ubium Palace of the Oku Ibom Ibibio, His Eminence, Ntenyin (Dr.) Solomon Daniel Etuk.
Describing Akpabio as “our son”, the Ibibio Monarch said: “This is our son and we, as a people are very happy to receive him in this Palace. We know what he can do and we are very proud of his achievements in his current office as the Senate President.”
In what could be seen as a veiled reference to the campaign of calumny, lies and falsehood against the person and office of the Senate President by some disgruntled individuals from the state in the social media, Ntenyin said: “I am delighted to have you and your colleagues in this Palace. You have come to pay homage to your fathers here. We know you. We know who Godswill Obot Akpabio is. We testify that we know who you are. If we don’t know who you are, it therefore, means we are not yours.
“As a king, I know every of my children. I know the good and I know the bad ones, but the good and the bad should stay together with the hope that they will change for good in the future. As a child of grace, we have seen where grace has led you to. When you get back to Abuja thank President Bola Tinubu for us. Anything that is good is good. We as a people are happy that he is carrying you along in the administration of this county. To whom much is given, much is expected and one good turn deserves another,” Ntenyin added.
The monarch pleaded with the Senate President to ensure that the dream of Akwa Ibom State having its seaport becomes a reality. He thanked the Senators for all the good works they have been doing as lawmakers, especially the recently passed bill on defilement of minors and its legal consequences.
Earlier in his speech, Senator Akpabio thanked the royal fathers for the grand reception even without any prior notice, describing Ntenyin as a man of peace.
His words: “I am very happy to be here and I thank you my fathers for this grand reception of me and my entourage even at a very short notice. I am here today with my colleagues and family members, which shows that I am from here and my home is intact.
“Let me thank you for being a peace loving father. You are a man of peace. The most costly peace is better than the cheapest war. I made an appeal to him without seeing him physically and he listened to me and today, there is peace in Akwa Ibom State. Kindly extend my greetings to your son, my governor and our leader, Pastor Umo Eno, another man of peace, who not only say it, but does it.”
Akpabio, who is of the Annang ethnic stock, described his visit to the palace as a major reconciliation among the people of the state, saying: “My visit to this Palace today is a major reconciliation move and will rekindle peace, love and unity in Akwa Ibom State. Akwa Ibom State under Governor Umo Eno is united because of his decision to link us to the centre by joining the APC. Let me assure you that I will support him 100 percent to succeed as a second term governor.
“Don’t listen to nay sayers and blackmailers. We are solidly behind him and that was why immediately he joined the APC, I personally handed over the structure of the party in the state to him, because when I was the governor I controlled the structure. I will continue to work for the peace, unity and development of Akwa Ibom State.”
At the end of the visit, the royal fathers prayed for Akpabio and his family and his success in office.
