Senate Presidency: We Will Not Allow Nigeria To Be Bought — Akpabio

Senator Godswill Akpabio has stated that the Nigerian Senate comprises men and women of integrity who will not allow the country to be bought.

The former Akwa Ibom State Governor, who has the backing of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Senate Presidency, made the comment during a visit to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos on Sunday.

Akpabio disclosed that he has the support of 69 senators and expressed confidence that the number would grow to 86 by June.

“Today, we are about 69 in number and it is still growing. We believe that by the time we get to June, we should expect this group to rise to about 85 to 86. All I know is that we are going to win.

“I want to assure, sir that the people you see seated here are those shunning dollars and shunning pounds and shunning naira.

“The Senate is composed of men and women of integrity. We will not allow Nigeria to be bought.

“If leadership in the country goes to the highest bidder, I don’t think those like the late President Yar’Adua would have ruled Nigeria.

“Even the former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, was not even available, I think he was somewhere else, I think Yola when he became President.

“So, it’s not a function of money. We’ve seen money politics play out, even though we’ve not seen it play out in the 10th Senate yet.

“As a prelude to the inauguration, we’ve seen what is going on. We condemn it and we believe that integrity should come to play”, he said.

Responding, Sanwo-Olu welcomed the Akpabio-led delegation and advised them to see to it that the 10th Senate works with the incoming administration.

“I believe that you are best in class because the last election showed that you have to be good to your people for you to emerge as successful.

“So, I can tell you that whatever part of the country you have emerged from, you are best in class and your people must have seen something outstanding in all of you.

“And that brings me to the fact that you cannot bring down that trust and that expectation from your people.”