Senate President Godswill Akpabio has boasted that he is privileged to be a Catholic and the highest-ranking Christian in the Nigerian government.
Akpabio, whose tenure has been replete with controversies and an unending rumour of plots to oust him, attributed his political rise to God’s exceptional grace.
The Senate President has been battling efforts to remove him over what many senators said are his numerous controversies bordering on alleged lack of independence of the legislature, sexual harassment, and utterances they said are unbecoming of the number three citizen.
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There have been wave after wave of moves to remove him, with most Nigerians expressing their support for his removal on social media.
But he has stayed on, in what some senators said is due to “President Bola Tinubu’s support and compromise in the Senate. He practically gives the ‘big boys’ all they want.”
Speaking at the blessing and inauguration of the Regina Coeli Parish Rectory in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Saturday, Akpabio said he has been blessed by God and urged Nigerians to also seek God’s face to rise like him from a humble beginning.
The event was graced by senior clerics and political figures, according to a statement released in Abuja by his media aide, Jackson Udom.
The statement quoted the Senate President as linking his rise from modest beginnings to becoming Nigeria’s number three citizen as evidence of divine favour and urging Nigerians to remain committed to serving God regardless of their status.
“As the most ranked Christian in government, God has graciously shaped and prepared me for this assignment,” he said.
Akpabio said he felt privileged to be a Catholic, even though he said he is affiliated with various Christian denominations in the country.
He encouraged citizens to stay rooted in faith, stressing that even the smallest contribution towards church development carries spiritual value.
“If your 10 kobo helps complete a church building, be assured God has accepted it,” he said, emphasising that no sacrifice made for God is insignificant.
Akpabio revealed that plans are underway to commission a new worship centre within the National Assembly complex in the coming weeks, saying the facility would offer lawmakers a dedicated place for prayer.
The statement further said the Catholic Bishop of Uyo, Most Rev. John Ayah, praised Akpabio and his wife for their consistent support to the church, including hosting Catholic bishops during their national meeting in Ikot Ekpene last year.
Ayah urged the Senate President to disregard critics, noting that his prominence inevitably attracts scrutiny.