All Islamization Rumour Ends With Akpabio Emerging As Senate President – APC

The emergence of Senator Godswill Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, as Senate President has been lauded by a group of APC members operating under the auspices of National Progressive Hub. They claim his win has put an end to an alleged scheme to Islamize Nigeria.

Three days after the claims were rejected by the APC leadership, the next development has occurred.

Bala Ibrahim, the APC’s director of publicity, emphasized that the zoning plan that resulted in the present National Assembly leadership was implemented for equity, religious balance, and inclusive politics.

It was reported that talks about an Islamisation of Nigeria agenda was exacerbated last week following the scathing religious statement by former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai.

In the six-minute viral video, El-Rufai caused a stir when he justified his choice of appointing Muslims to occupy top positions in the Kaduna State Government at the expense of Christians.

In the video, he told his audience that the dominance by Islam in the governance of Kaduna State had come to stay as he expressed relief that the trend had been successfully replicated at the national level with the election of former Lagos Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as president and Kashim Shettima as the vice.

A statement jointly signed on Wednesday by Coordinator of National Progressive Hub, Bukie Okangbe and National Youth Leader, Tukura Kwayi, stated that Akpabio’s emergence as Senate President of the 10th Assembly has since put paid to the Islamisation agenda talks.

While congratulating the immediate past minister for Niger Delta Affairs and other principal officers elected into the lower and upper chambers, the group believed the rumour was peddled by the opposition and critics of the ruling party.

The statement partly read, “We congratulate our uncommon senator, Senator Godswill Akpabio on his emergence as the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Your emergence as the Senate President of the 10th Assembly shows a confirmation of your national spread, your legislative capacity and the uncommon greatness you have brought to politics which obviously cut across board.

“It has further put to rest the islamisation agenda insinuation in some quarters by the opposition and enemies of the APC to paint the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima in bad image. We believe that such insinuation in the public domain has been laid to rest forever now. Your victory has rekindled the hopes of millions of Nigerians once more that the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has come to stay.

“Without any iota of skepticism, we are sure that Nigeria is now set to witness a highly robust good governance and excellent leadership, devoid of unnecessary rancour and distraction judging from the capacities and competences of our president, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and yourself as the Senate President of the 10th Assembly.”