President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has charged the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-South geo-political zone of the country, to work harder so that the visibility of the party in the region will grow from one state to more states.
Akpabio gave the charge while receiving in courtesy, APC State chairmen from the South-South region in Abuja on Sunday.
Akpabio, who noted that he understood the challenges being faced by the state chairmen, assured them that “in the days ahead, a meeting of critical stakeholders comprising State chairmen, National Assembly members, Ministers and other Appointees from the region would be convened to work out modalities to support the party at various state chapters, as a way of engendering unity and understanding, amongst all party members to foster social cohesion between the party and elected/ appointed officials in Government.”
He commended the APC Chairmen for their visit and used the opportunity to intimate them of the plans of the Tinubu-led Government towards the economic prosperity agenda for Nigeria as a whole and south south in particular.
The Senate President thanked President Bola Tinubu for the Lagos-Calabar coastal road project, describing it as very visionary. He went further to inform the party chairmen that he personally inspected the ongoing construction of the project with the Minister of Works in Lagos before returning to Abuja.
In his brief remarks on behalf of his colleagues, the Cross River State chairman of APC, Barrister Alphonsus Ogar, commended the harmonious working relationship between the Senate President and the only APC Governor from the South-South, Senator Bassey Otu of Cross River and their spouses.
Expressing solidarity with the President of the Senate, he recounted that the south south geo political zone last had the seat of Senate President in 1979, 45 years ago.
The chairmen declared their total support for Akpabio’s commitment towards the infrastructural development of the area especially the on going Lagos – Calabar Coastal road and railway line being embarked upon by the Tinubu administration.
According to Ogar, “the completion of this project within record time would immortalize President Tinubu in the hearts of the people of the region. He, therefore, appealed to the President of the Senate, not to be distracted by the antics of the opposition as the Lagos/Calabar coastal road project is the most ambitious and laudable project ever to have been embarked upon as a reward for a region that is contributing blood and oxygen to the economic survival of the nation.”