Stop Maligning Govt Unduly – Akpabio Begs Nigerians
BY UBON EKANEM, CALABAR – The Senate President, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio has cautioned Nigerians against making unguarded statements that deliberately malign and dent the image of the country’s nascent democracy.
Senator Akpabio, who spoke in Calabar at the reunion ceremony of 1987 University of Calabar (UNICAL) Law class, said of recent some Nigerians have taken it upon themselves to find faults with every step taken by government at all levels to reposition the country.
He said unfortunately most of such comments and bashing of government’s policies were done for selfish reasons and just to attract unnecessary public attention.
Clearly uncomfortable with comments by the keynote Speaker, Chief Ambassador Assam Assam (SAN) that the Supreme Court erred in its pronouncement granting financial autonomy to local governments councils, Senator Akpabio urged Nigerians to be circumspect and patriotic in their criticisms of government actions in the country’s overall interest.
While also expressing unhappiness that most criticisms are for the overall public good, the former Akwa Ibom State governor said; “Now, I know why the identity of the keynote speaker was deliberately kept away from my knowledge”.
According to him, “though I come from the same state with the Keynote Speaker, we are of different political extraction, and he is entitled to his opinion and freedom of expression as guaranteed by the 1999 constitution as amended
He also acknowledged the fact that though both of them belong to the law profession, they are bound to view issues from different angles in terms of governance business .
In his keynote address, the Guest Speaker, Ambassador Assam Assam (SAN), took a swipe at the supreme court pronouncement granting financial autonomy to local governments councils.
He said it was done hastily with the National Assembly (NASS) yet to completely amend all the constitutional provisions granting permission for operation of joint account between states and local government councils.
Among highlights of the reunion ceremony was the Senate President’s donation of two busses for the Law Faculty and UNICAL Student Union government (SUG).
