Senate President Godswill Akpabio has revealed that a Labour Party senator pleaded with him for permission to attend the APC National Summit, suggesting growing support for President Bola Tinubu’s administration across party lines.
During an interview with Arise TV, Akpabio described the incident while discussing the president’s political prospects ahead of the 2027 elections. “As I was leaving today, one senator was dragging my dress, saying, ‘Please take me there.’ I said, ‘You can’t come now.’ And he is a Labour senator. I don’t want to mention them, but just imagine, he’s a Labour senator. He said, ‘Please, I told you since now that I would have joined you. What do I do?’ I said, ‘Wait outside.’ You Will see my car outside there.”
Akpabio positioned the alleged incident as evidence of shifting political allegiances, contrasting Tinubu’s current standing with his 2023 electoral performance. “If this president has done well, is it not us that will say so? If he has not done well, is it not us that will give him notice of impeachment? We are not giving him notice of impeachment. We are giving him notice that it was difficult for you in 2023. But in 2027, I see everything turning around,” he stated.
The Senate President predicted significant gains for the ruling party in the next electoral cycle. “The number of states that are coming to join you will surprise you,” Akpabio declared, expressing confidence in the administration’s growing appeal.
He attributed this anticipated shift to the president’s economic policies and their international recognition. “So, in view of the political sagacity of President Bola Tinubu, and in view of the fact that despite very difficult times, he has been able to set Nigeria on a path of growth, confirmed by the International Management Forum,” Akpabio explained.
The Senate President also highlighted satisfaction within the National Assembly regarding the administration’s performance. “In view of the fact that even the members of the National Assembly and senators said they have never had it this good,” he noted.
Taking his endorsement further, Akpabio jokingly proposed that Tinubu should be the sole candidate not just for his party, but for the entire nation in 2027. Drawing from personal observations in his home state, the Senate President described widespread support for the president’s policies.
Akpabio recounted traveling to Akwa Ibom State, where he claims residents consistently praised Tinubu’s developmental initiatives and their positive impact on the region. The Senate President concluded with a bold prediction about the 2027 electoral landscape, asserting that opposition parties lack the organizational strength and popular support necessary to mount an effective challenge against the ruling All Progressives Congress.
