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Akpabio’s New Year Resolution: Forgiveness, Faith, and Leadership

Published

5 months ago

January 9, 2026

By Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, MNIPR

In politics, silence is often louder than speech, for it speaks in the language of calculation and consequence. Forgiveness, when declared by a powerful man, is louder still—a thunderclap in a quiet chamber. It unsettles expectations, invites suspicion, and demands interrogation, not because it is weak, but because power is never presumed innocent when it chooses mercy.

When Senate President Godswill Akpabio, GCON, announced his New Year resolution to forgive all offenders and withdraw every suit he had instituted, Nigeria’s political class instinctively reached for its usual tools—cynicism, calculation, conspiracy. This decision, however, does not fit comfortably within the margins of the country’s familiar scripts of power and vendetta; it demands a slower reading.

The context itself matters. On New Year’s Day 2026, Akpabio was not behind a podium, flanked by politicians. He was seated in Sacred Heart Parish, Uyo, listening to a homily—not as Nigeria’s number-three citizen, but as a humble, God-fearing parishioner. The priest, Reverend Father Donatus Udoette, preaching with quiet authority and pastoral fervor, exhorted his congregants to let go of past hurts and choose peace over grievance. Akpabio would later say that, at some point, he realised the sermon was speaking directly to him.

The announcement that followed shortly after bore the unmistakable imprint of that moment. About nine defamation suits would be withdrawn, including the ₦200 billion case against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, arising from allegations he had consistently denied and publicly rejected. Other cases, some involving his close associates, would go the same way. In a political culture where litigation has become an extension of reputation management, this was no minor gesture. Akpabio had been unapologetic about defending his name through the courts. The law, in his hands, had been both shield and sword. To voluntarily lay it down is to interrupt a habit of power.

The question, therefore, is not whether Akpabio could afford to forgive. It is why he chose to do so.

To answer that, one must resist the temptation to isolate this act from the man’s broader leadership story. Akpabio has always lived publicly in dual registers. There is the assertive politician who, as governor of Akwa Ibom State, left behind concrete evidence of ambition fulfilled—flyovers, boulevards, hospitals, model schools, an international airport, and an international stadium. Supporters invoke the Latin phrase res ipsa loquitur: the facts speak for themselves.

Then there is the other register: the man who frames his political journey in spiritual terms; who describes his rise from the shadows to national limelight as evidence of divine ordering and grace; who once called himself, without irony, “the most ranked Christian in government.” A man who sees himself not merely as a participant in Nigeria’s politics, but as an instrument within a providential design—God’s will, he believes, for Nigeria at this moment.

In Nigeria, faith in politics is common. Stability of faith is rarer. Akpabio’s Christianity is not episodic. It has shaped how he understands authority itself. Power, in this worldview, is not merely seized or negotiated; it is entrusted. And what is entrusted carries moral obligation.

This is where forgiveness ceases to be sentimental and becomes political philosophy.

The same drive for tangible outcomes has characterised, albeit differently, his tenure as Senate President. It has been defined less by flamboyance than by control. The Senate he leads has been unusually productive and notably calm—more than ninety-six bills passed in two years, with over fifty-eight assented to by the President. In a chamber once notorious for theatrics, this stability is not accidental. It reflects a leadership style that values restraint over spectacle and consensus over conquest.

While his action was inspired, it also makes political sense. Withdrawing defamation suits fits neatly into this logic. Legal battles consume attention. They tether leaders to old grievances. They narrow the emotional bandwidth required for institutional leadership. To let them go is to reclaim focus—and to recommit to what ultimately matters: nation-building.

Critics will argue that forgiveness is easier from a position of strength. They are right. That is precisely why it matters. In fragile political systems, restraint by the powerful sets a tone no code of conduct can enforce. It lowers the temperature. It changes incentives.

Nigeria’s public sphere has become deeply adversarial. Every disagreement is framed as insult. Every critique is personalised. Politics has learned to confuse hostility with toughness. In such an environment, Akpabio’s choice rightly disrupts a dangerous rhythm.

Faith provides the language; humility provides the discipline. Humility here is not self-effacement. No one can accuse Akpabio of being unaware of his own stature. Rather, it is a confidence that does not require constant vindication. As the late global gospel icon, Uma Ukpai, once told him: “Only fruit-bearing trees draw missiles. If you are drawing missiles, it means you are bearing fruit.”

To accept that counsel is to understand leadership as emotional labour. To forgive is not to deny injury; it is to refuse to let injury define governance.

There is, of course, a strategic dimension. Nigerian politics does not permit innocence. The decision comes at a time when Senate unity is under constant scrutiny and rumours of internal challenge circulate freely. Choosing reconciliation over escalation strengthens institutional cohesion. It preserves authority without making it brittle.

Yet strategy does not cancel sincerity. In Nigerian leadership, the sacred and the secular are not opposing realms but overlapping obligations. Godswill Akpabio’s Catholic identity, deeply rooted in his home state, has always been both personal and public. He has hosted bishops at the national level. He is planning a worship centre within the National Assembly complex. These are not gestures of convenience; they are expressions of a worldview in which governance, godliness, and morality intersect.

This is why the withdrawal of lawsuits should be read not merely as personal forgiveness but as public modelling. Akpabio has often spoken of nation-building as a collective task, insisting that it requires citizens to rise above division and embrace shared purpose. Forgiveness, in this sense, becomes civic pedagogy.

Nigeria suffers from obvious physical infrastructure deficits. It also suffers from what might be called spiritual infrastructure decay. Distrust is habitual. Anger is efficient. Leaders who demonstrate emotional regulation contribute to national repair in ways budgets cannot capture.

The implications extend directly into legislative leadership. Managing one hundred and nine senators with competing ambitions requires more than procedural mastery. It demands moral authority—authority that flows not only from rules, but from example.

By choosing forgiveness over litigation, Akpabio strengthens his hand not through coercion but through credibility. He signals that power can afford generosity; that leadership does not require perpetual combat; that not every insult deserves a reply.

There is risk, of course. Forgiveness can be misread as weakness. Silence can be exploited. But leadership that waits for perfect safety rarely leads. Akpabio’s resolution accepts vulnerability as the price of example.

What emerges, then, is a synthesis: the force of developmental leadership from his gubernatorial years, the finesse of institutional management as Senate President, obedience to God and now a claim to moral authority through public restraint.

Nigeria often produces leaders who deliver material progress but corrode trust, or leaders who speak ethically but govern ineffectively. Akpabio’s gesture attempts to collapse that false choice.

To be clear, the true test lies ahead. Forgiveness must be sustained, not performed once and shelved. Its power will be measured by whether it cools tempers, reshapes conduct, and encourages reciprocal restraint.

For now, Akpabio has offered an unconventional lesson in Nigerian statecraft: that surrendering legal claims can strengthen authority; that stable faith produces calm rather than noise; and that humility, properly understood, is not the absence of confidence but its highest expression.

In a country struggling to rebuild trust while confronting insurgency, economic hardship, and climate anxiety, reconciliation is not a luxury. It is governance.

Sometimes, the most radical act in politics is not retaliation, but restraint. And with his New Year’s resolution, Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President, has demonstrated precisely that.

•Rt Hon Eseme Eyiboh mnipr is the Special Adviser, Media/Publicity and Official Spokesperson to the President of the Senate

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Akpabio: This isn’t time to probe military *I didn’t promise ticket for failed senators

Published

3 hours ago

June 6, 2026

Whirlwindnews

Godswill Akpabio, Nigeria’s Senate President, on Friday, pushed back against reports quoting him as promising to retrieve tickets from winners of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in lieu of sitting senators, who failed at the party’s primaries recently.

He also spoke on the issue of the comprehensive probe called by Adams Oshiomhole, former Governor of Edo State, now Senator representing Edo North at the National Assembly, clarifying his position on the matte, which has since raised a lot of dust within the polity.

The twin issues, dominated the outcome of proceedings on Thursday, on the day the Senators returned after going on recess to participate in the party primaries that took place across board in Nigeria in line with the electoral outlay of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Akpabio, former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, former Minister of the Niger Delta and now Chairman of the National Assembly, who conveyed his position through Eseme Eyiboh, his spokesman, denied ever making such promise to his colleagues, as it went against the grain of democratic ethos, which he had vowed to uphold.

Regarding the probe of the military, Akpabio, in the statement, stressed the need not to distract the institution, but provide it with all the needed support, giving the parlous security situation in the country, its personnel had been battling relentless.

The statement read in full: “The attention of the Office of the President of the Senate has been drawn to misleading reports circulating in sections of the media suggesting that the President of the Senate has promised to secure senatorial tickets for senators who lost their party primaries.

“We must categorically assert that this report does not reflect the position of the President of the Senate. For the record, Senator Akpabio has neither made nor authorised to be made such promise.

“What the President of the Senate actually said, in the course of interacting with his colleagues, was to empathise with senators who were affected by the outcome of their primary elections.

“He assured them that the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), is actively working to address all issues arising from the primaries and that the final list of candidates will be released in due course in line with the party’s constitution and electoral guidelines.

“Senator Akpabio remains committed to party discipline, due process, and the internal mechanisms of the APC for resolving disputes. He will not interfere with the autonomous processes of the party or make commitments that are outside the purview of the National Assembly leadership.

“The office also notes another report quoting a distinguished Senator on the need for the Senate to probe the military over recent security incidents. While legislative oversight is a constitutional responsibility of the National Assembly, Senator Akpabio’s position is that this is not the opportune moment for a public probe of the Armed Forces.

“At a time when our troops are engaged on multiple fronts against terrorism, banditry and other threats to National Security, subjecting the military to a public legislative inquisition could undermine morale and operational focus.

“The Senate President believes strongly that support, collaboration and closed-door engagements with security agencies are more productive at this critical time. Oversight will be exercised responsibly, without creating distractions that embolden adversaries or divert attention from the urgent task of securing Nigeria.

“Senator Akpabio urges the media and the public to disregard sensational and inaccurate misrepresentation of his remarks and to always seek clarification from his office before publication.”

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Our primaries were flawless – NDC *Denies imposition of candidates

Published

15 hours ago

June 5, 2026

Whirlwindnews

No candidate was imposed neither was any member barred from participating in the process, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), said on Thursday, which defending the integrity of the exercise, which ended on May 29.

In a statement by Ikenna Enekweizu, National Secretary, party said that all aspirants were given a fair opportunity to participate in the democratic process, adding that the selection process was driven by consultation, consensus-building, and stakeholder engagement through established leadership structures across the country.

Stressing that its National Secretariat was never involved in the business of picking, choosing, or imposing candidates on any constituency or state, contrary to allegations that have emerged following the conclusion of the primaries, the statement added: “At no time has the NDC National Secretariat been involved in the business of picking, choosing, or imposing candidates on any constituency or state.

“Aspirants seeking elective positions were directed to engage with caucus leaders, stakeholders, and grassroots members in their respective states, who were responsible for consultations and recommendations based on local political realities. In the South-East geopolitical zone, our presidential candidate, Peter Obi, joined the party with an existing network of respected political leaders and elder statesmen who currently serve as caucus heads across the region.

“These include former governors and senior political figures such as Sam Egwu, Okwesilieze Nwodo, and Achike Udenwa, among others. The party explained that these leaders were tasked with conducting stakeholder consultations and helping build consensus around aspirants in their respective states.

“These leaders were entrusted with conducting stakeholder consultations, building consensus, and making recommendations to the party based on their understanding of the peculiar political dynamics in their respective states.

“Aspirants who disagreed with stakeholder recommendations were not excluded from the process but were allowed to test their popularity through grassroots primaries. This process was conducted without prejudice to the rights of any aspirant. Where aspirants disagreed with recommendations made by stakeholders or caucus leaders, they were free to test their popularity through the democratic process at the grassroots level, and this was duly accommodated,” the party said.

Addressing concerns raised by some aspirants following the primaries, the NDC acknowledged reports of individuals prematurely declaring themselves candidates as well as complaints regarding aspects of the process.

However, it maintained that such issues had been referred to the party’s appeal panel and leadership for resolution.

The statement also highlighted the party’s commitment to affirmative action and greater female participation in politics, noting that efforts had been made to encourage women to seek elective offices while also considering the interests of serving lawmakers.

Looking ahead, the NDC announced plans to begin a broad reconciliation process aimed at healing divisions and strengthening party unity after the conclusion of the primaries.

“As resolved at yesterday’s NEC meeting, we now look forward to the commencement of a comprehensive reconciliation process. We count on our esteemed caucus leaders, state chairmen, stakeholders, and party leaders to engage all aspirants and members in the interest of unity, cohesion, and the continued growth of our party.”

The party reiterated that its role throughout the nomination process was primarily to welcome new members and aspirants, reassure them of its commitment to fairness and transparency, and direct them to the appropriate caucus structures for participation in party affairs.

According to the NDC, the approach reflects its commitment to internal democracy, consultation, inclusiveness, and respect for established leadership structures as it continues preparations for future elections.

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Hidden syndicate behind oil theft – Navy *Wants special court to try offenders

Published

15 hours ago

June 5, 2026

Whirlwindnews

Idi Abbas, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), on Friday, prayed for a legislation to establish a special court to try those caught in the business of stealing crude oil in Nigeria, saying the current general law was not too helpful in stemming the tide.

It was also a day he claimed that the powerful forces behind the syndicate had a way of projecting fronts while remaining behind the scene, which made it almost impossible to track them to face justice.

In fact, Abbas, a Vice Admiral, revealed that the operation was so perfect that those arrested at illegal refining sites were usually low-level operatives with little knowledge of the larger criminal network.

A guest on Sunrise Daily, a breakfast programme on Channels Television, the Naval Chief noted that many of those apprehended during operations are merely workers paid small sums, adding that such a complex structure of oil theft syndicates made it difficult to identify and prosecute the individuals who orchestrate the criminal enterprise.

“Most of the faces behind these thefts are not really known or are not the ones we always catch. The ones we get at most of the illegal refinery sites are just being given some paltry sum, while the big masquerades are the ones that make the real money. Prosecuting suspects is often complicated by the fact that many of those arrested have little or no information about the people directing the operations.

“In trying to prosecute some of these people that we get, some of them don’t even know who they are working for. So, the network is a very delicate one.

“But despite the challenges the Nigerian Navy and other security agencies are continually refining their strategies to counter the evolving tactics of oil thieves. As they are evolving strategies, we are also evolving new strategies. Like I keep saying, technology is the way forward. With that, we have been able to reduce the level of theft.”

Stating that the adoption of technology-driven surveillance, intelligence gathering and monitoring systems had significantly enhanced efforts to curb crude oil theft and protect critical national assets, he reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigerian Navy to sustaining operations against oil theft, stressing that collaboration among security agencies, stakeholders and host communities remains essential to safeguarding the nation’s oil resources.

The naval boss while assuring that Nigeria’s coastal and riverine communities are relatively safe, said the Nigerian Navy had made significant progress in reducing threats along the coast, particularly illegal oil-related activities and sea robbery.

“As it stands today, I can say that our coastal areas and the riverine areas are relatively safe. While crude oil theft and isolated cases of sea robbery remain areas of concern, the Navy has been largely successful in containing such activities through intensified surveillance and enforcement operations.

Hear him: “What we are contending with mostly there is the issue of crude oil theft and some pockets of sea robbery, which we are able to curtail. There is need for the establishment of a special court dedicated to prosecuting maritime crimes.

“This court will focus exclusively on cases involving crude oil theft and other maritime-related offences, helping to address delays associated with the conventional judicial process. The establishment of such a court would significantly accelerate the dispensation of justice and reduce the burden currently placed on the Navy in maintaining seized vessels and other exhibits pending the conclusion of lengthy court processes.

“If we have that in place, I believe the dispensation of justice will be done much faster and then ease the burden of keeping and maintaining some of the arrested vessels, which will be taken off from us because we spend a lot to maintain those vessels under our custody.”

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