Barau, Bamidele hail Akpabio at 61

Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jibrin Barau, has extended warm wishes to the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, on his 61st birthday.

Barau, in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, described the President of the Senate, who was born on December 9, 1962, as a patriotic Nigerian par excellence.

He was quoted as saying, “You are a patriotic Nigerian par excellence. Your contribution to the entrenchment of democracy is immense, sterling, and novel, first as a governor, a senator, a minority leader, a minister, and now President of the Senate.

“As encapsulated in the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration, the welfare, interest, and general well-being of Nigerians are paramount to us in the 10th Senate under your able leadership.”

Similarly, the Senate leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, in a statement by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs on Friday, commended Akpabio’s commitment to promoting the cause of the masses and pro-people legislation evident in the way he had used the gavel with cautious optimism.

He observed that since his emergence as the president of the upper chamber on June 13, Akpabio had been providing strategic leadership that prioritised consensus-building in the interest of peace, progress, and development.

Even amid scathing public criticism, Bamidele noted that Akpabio “has always been calm, peaceful and unruffled, always according utmost respect to all legislators regardless of their political leanings”.