By George Ozalla
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has urged youths in northern Nigeria to intensify grassroots mobilisation for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027, saying the President’s policies deserve continuity.
Akpabio gave the charge on Wednesday when a northern youth group, Arewa Revival Project, led by its coordinator, Hon. Mustafa Ibrahim, paid him a courtesy visit in his office.
The group, whose members are spread across the 19 northern states, presented an award to the Senate President in recognition of his contributions to national development.
Thanking the group for the award, Akpabio urged its members to sustain grassroots mobilisation and educate Nigerians on the importance of continuity, given what he described as the achievements of the Tinubu administration.
He urged Nigerian youths to rise above what he called propaganda on social media, arguing that the President had taken steps to diversify the economy, which he said was previously dependent largely on crude oil.
“I expect the Nigerian youth to rise above social media propaganda because this President has managed to take us out of mono economy, an economy that was dependent only on crude oil. He has brought innovations to bear through the tax reform system, through tinkering with anachronistic laws,” Akpabio said.
He maintained that the Tinubu administration had recorded significant development, despite criticism from its opponents.
“No President has achieved the level of development that he has done in this country today since independence. The nay sayers will not want to say so. But I’m very proud and members of the National Assembly are very proud. We hold our heads very high and say yes, we have given him a pass mark and that we have endorsed him to come for a second term in office,” he said.
The Senate President expressed confidence in the country’s future, attributing Nigeria’s continued survival to what he described as a President willing to confront difficult challenges.
“You don’t change a winning team. He is doing so well. Allow his policies to crystallise. This is not somebody who is coming to experiment. He is already doing it,” Akpabio stated.
He told the youths that their future depended on the stability and progress of the country, urging them to help Nigerians understand the administration’s policies and their intended benefits.
“Whatever we are doing today, we are doing it to stabilise your future and ensure the survival of Nigeria. So it is good that you are seeing it,” he said.
Akpabio also cautioned the youths against being discouraged by online criticism of the President and his supporters, alleging that some of those attacking the administration on social media were being paid to do so.
He advised the group to organise meetings with young people at intervals to explain the government’s policies and counter what he described as misinformation.
“You may not be able to have the kind of energy and time with them. But once in a while, gather the youth together and let them see the truth and know the truth. That attacking government that is working well for them, trying to bring uncertainty is not the best,” he said.
On security, Akpabio said the government was taking steps to address the country’s challenges and expressed optimism that the proposed state police system would soon become a reality.
He said about 30 states had endorsed the constitutional amendment required to establish state police, adding that decentralised policing would strengthen the country’s security architecture.
“As I speak with you now, for the first time in the history of Nigeria, it may not take us a month before we have State Police system, decentralised policing in the country, because about 30 states have endorsed the amendment to the Nigerian constitution to bring about State Police system which will further increase the security of the nation,” he said.
The Senate President expressed confidence that the country would overcome its security challenges and encouraged the youths to remain committed to their mobilisation efforts.
“I always tell them that the devil that you see today, you will soon see them no more. Very soon, we shall overcome the insecurity that we face today. So feel confident as you go round campaigning,” Akpabio said.
Earlier, the Project Coordinator, Hon. Mustafa Ibrahim, said the Senate President deserved the award in recognition of his contributions to national development and the achievements recorded under his leadership of the National Assembly.
