Tinubu a friend of south-south, he would get maximum votes in region - Akpabio

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has asked Akwa Ibom residents to support President Bola Tinubu and Umo Eno, the state governor, in the 2027 elections.

Akpabio spoke on Wednesday in Uyo at an event marking the 39th anniversary of the creation of Akwa Ibom state.

The senate president said Tinubu had demonstrated friendship towards the south-south region and would receive “maximum victory” from the zone in the 2027 elections.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a friend of the South-South zone, and he will get maximum victory from the region and other parts of the country,” he said.

Akpabio said the progress of Akwa Ibom should remain above partisan considerations and urged residents to support continuity in the development of the state.

“The progress of Akwa Ibom must always rise above partisan considerations,” he said.

“Every generation of leaders has a duty to add another storey to the edifice handed down to it.”

He commended Eno for sustaining what he described as the state’s development journey through the ARISE Agenda.

“I therefore commend Governor Umo Eno for sustaining the journey of development through the ARISE Agenda and for his commitment to peace, rural development, economic advancement and the welfare of our people,” Akpabio said.

The senate president said Akwa Ibom has recorded significant development since its creation in 1987, attributing the progress to the resilience and contributions of its people.

“Our greatest resource has always been our people,” he said.

Akpabio also recalled his tenure as governor, saying infrastructure, institutions, and human-capital investments made during his administration provided foundations for subsequent governments.

“The years of uncommon transformation demonstrated what is possible when vision is matched by courage, when public resources are deployed for the public good, and when leadership refuses to accept yesterday’s limitations as the boundaries of tomorrow’s possibilities,” he said.

He urged residents to use the anniversary to reflect on the state’s achievements and its future, particularly in creating opportunities for young people, enterprise and innovation.

“The task before us is not merely to celebrate how far we have travelled, but to imagine how much farther we can go,” Akpabio said.

“Akwa Ibom is rising. And together, we shall continue to build a future worthy of the dreams of our founding fathers.”

Akwa Ibom was created on September 23, 1987, by the military administration of Ibrahim Babangida.