Godswill Akpabio
Godswill Obot Akpabio | |
---|---|
Portrait of Akpabio | |
Senator for Akwa Ibom North-West (Ikot Ekpene) | |
Assumed office 09 June 2015 | |
Preceded by | Aloysius Akpan Etok |
Senate Minority Leader | |
Assumed office 28 July 2015 - 07 August 2018 | |
Preceded by | George Akume (APC) |
3rd Governor of Akwa Ibom State | |
In office 29 May 2007 – 29 May 2015 | |
Preceded by | Obong Victor Attah |
Succeeded by | Udom Gabriel Emmanuel |
Personal details | |
Born |
Ukana, Ikot Ntuen, Essien Udim, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria | 9 December 1962
Political party | (APC) |
Spouse(s) | Ekaette Unoma Akpabio |
Parents |
|
Alma mater | University of Calabar |
Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio, CON [1] (born 9 December 1962), is a Nigerian lawyer and politician who is a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Senate's Minority Leader.[2][3] He was also Governor of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria from May 29, 2007 to May 29, 2015.
Early life and career
Godswill Akpabio is the son of Chief Obot Akpabio and Madam Lucy Obot Akpabio (née Inyangetor) of Ukana, Ikot Ntuen in Essien Udim Local Government Area.[4] He was born on 9 December 1962. He lost his father early in life and was raised by his mother.[5]
Education
Akpabio was educated at Methodist Primary School, Ukana,[6] Essien Udim LGA, Akwa Ibom State; the Federal Government College, Port Harcourt,[7] Rivers State; and the University of Calabar,[8] Cross River State, where he obtained a Degree in Law.[9][10]
While at the Federal Government College, Port Harcourt, he was appointed the Senior Prefect.[6] In the University of Calabar, Akpabio was elected as the speaker of the parliamentary year</ref>[11][4]
Family and personal life
Godswill Akpabio’s grandfather, Okuku Udo Akpabio, was the Warrant Chief in Ikot Ekpene province. His uncle, Dr. I. U. Akpabio, was the Minister of Education/Internal Affairs in the then Eastern Nigeria. Justice Nsima Akpabio, his cousin, was a senator in the Second Nigerian Republic.[4]
Akpabio is a Christian of the Catholic faith.[5] Godswill is married to Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, the founder of Family Life Enhancement Initiative (FLEI), a non-governmental organization providing a platform for redirecting the focus of development efforts on the family as a strategy for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).[12][13][14][15]
Akpabio and his wife have four daughters and a son.
Career and employment
Akpabio had a brief stint as a teacher and as an associate partner with Paul Usoro and Co., a law firm in Nigeria.[16][17]
Akpabio also worked with EMIS Telecoms Limited, a wireless telecommunications company in Lagos, Nigeria. In 2002, he rose to the position of the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the company.[17] In this position, he helped in shaping the future of the burgeoning telecoms industry. He had earlier served as the National Publicity Secretary of the Association of Telecommunication Companies in Nigeria, (ATCOM), while a director of EMIS.[18]
Appointments and politics
In 2002, he was appointed Honourable Commissioner for Petroleum and Natural Resources by the then Governor Obong Victor Attah in Akwa Ibom State. Between 2002 and 2006, he served as a Commissioner in three key ministries: Petroleum and Natural Resources, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, as well as Lands and Housing.[17][5][19]
In 2006, he aspired for the governorship of Akwa Ibom State in a contested primary election and defeated 57 other aspirants to emerge the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).[20] His campaign with the slogan, “let God’s will be done” received mass support and was elected Governor in 2007. He was re-elected for a second term in office as Governor of Akwa Ibom State in 2011.[21]
In 2013, he was elected Chairman of the newly formed PDP Governors Forum.[22]
In 2015, he contested and won the Senate seat of the Akwa Ibom North West (Ikot Ekpene) Senatorial District to represent the district in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Running under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), he polled 422,009 of the 439,449 to defeat Chief Inibehe Okorie of the All Progressive Congress (APC) who recorded 15, 152 votes to be declared elected by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).[2]
Akpabio was nominated for the position of the Senate Minority Leader by the South-South caucus of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), ratified by the caucus of the PDP in the Senate and announced by the Senate President as Senate Minority Leader on 28 July 2015. The PDP lost the majority to the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the 2015 general elections.[23][24]
In August 2018, Senator Akpabio resigned as the Senate Minority Leader,[25] after he had announced his defection to the All Progressive Congress. His defection was marked by Political rally in his hometown at the Ikot Ekpene township stadium, Akwa Ibom State.[26]
Honours
International honours
- The Congressional Certificate of Recognition of the United States Congress (2011).[27]
- Africa Lifetime Achievement Prize awarded by Millennium Excellence Foundation in Kenya.[28]
- The Gold Humanitarian Services Award of the Republic of Niger 2008 conferred on him by Niger’s Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Alhaji Moussa Ibrahim.[29]
- Exam Ethic Marshall 2009: Exam Ethic International, Ghana.[30]
- Best Governor, Infrastructure Development 2009: BEN Television, London.[31]
- Honorary citizen of the city of Georgia, New Jersey in United States[32]
National honours
Academic & professional honours
- Doctorate of Management Science, Honoris Causa, Nigeria Defence Academy (2011).[36][37]
- Doctorate of Law, Honoris Causa, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (2010).[38][39]
- Doctorate of Law, Honoris Causa, University of Calabar, Calabar (2009).[40]
- Doctorate of Law, Honoris Causa, University of Uyo, Uyo (2009).[40]
- Doctorate of Public Administration (Honoris Causa), Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (2009).[40]
- Doctorate of Management Science (Honoris Causa) Federal University of Technology, Owerri (2011).[38][41]
- Doctorate of Public Administration, Honoris Causa Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Enugu (2013).[42]
- Doctorate of Human Resource Management (Honoris Causa) Wesley University of Science and Technology, Ondo.[32]
- Honorary Fellow of Nigeria Society of Engineers (2010) (Only fourteen non-engineers have so far been so honoured in Nigeria).
- Fellow, Kazaure Polytechnic, Kazaure (2008).[40]
- Fellow of the Yaba College of Technology, Yaba (2011).
- Fellow of the College of Education, Bichi, and a host of others.[40]
- Most Education Friendly Governor in Nigeria (2008) by the National Parent-Teacher Association.[32]
- Best Booster Governor Award for Promoting Science, Technology and Mathematics by the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria.
- Goodwill Ambassador of the Nigerian Medical Association.[32]
Media honours
- Best Governor in Africa, Africa Development Magazine.[43][44]
- Governor of the Year 2012, Leadership (newspaper).[45]
- Man of the Year 2011, Sun (newspaper).[46]
- Best Governor in Nigeria and Outstanding Human Brand 2010: Billboard World.
- Man of the Year 2010: National Daily Newspaper.[19]
- Governor of the Year 2010: Nigerian Tribune.[47]
- Award of Excellence for Outstanding Performance 2010: Nigeria Union of Journalists.[48]
- Nigeria’s Emerging Tiger 2009: Thisday Newspapers.[49]
- Man of the Year 2009: The Daily Independent (Lagos).[50]
- Man of the Year 2009: National Daily Newspaper.[51]
- 2008 Most Outstanding Governor in Nigeria (South South): National Daily Newspaper.[51]
- Governor of the Year (South-South): City People Magazine.[18]
- Best Governor Infrastructure 2009: Encomium Magazine.[52]
- Best Governor (South South): Encomium Magazine.[52]
- Excellency Award as Best Governor South-South 2009: Global Excellence Magazine.[5]
See also
References
- ↑
- 1 2 "Akpabio wins Senate Seat in Akwa Ibom State". globalvillenews.com. Archived from the original on 2015-05-21. Retrieved 2017-12-20.
- ↑ Senate Announces Akpabio As Minority Leader • Channels Television, retrieved 2017-12-20
- 1 2 3
- 1 2 3 4 "Info" (PDF). www.akwaibomnewsonline.com. 2010.
- 1 2 "Inkbrandagency.com". ngf.inkbrandagency.com.
- ↑ "Akpabio to Nigerians: Strengthen spirit of nationalism". News Express Nigeria. Retrieved 2017-12-20.
- ↑
- ↑ "Why 'Class 88' is successful, by Akpabio - The Nation Nigeria". The Nation Nigeria. 2014-02-04. Retrieved 2017-12-20.
- ↑ "The Nation Newspaper Nigeria - Read Latest Nigeria News". The Nation Nigeria. Retrieved 2018-01-02.
- ↑ "Africanewspress.com". africanewspress.com.
- ↑
- ↑ "*EKAETTE UNOMA AKPABIO:* Undying Hope on the Dais – Pointblank News". pointblanknews.com. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑ "Paul Usoro & Co Leading Law Firm in Nigeria". Paul Usoro & Co Leading Law Firm in Nigeria. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- 1 2 3 THEWILL_. "OPINION: CELEBRATING AKPABIO AT 52 | THEWILL". thewillnigeria.com. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- 1 2 "Akwa Ibom Past News". www.igbofocus.co.uk. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- 1 2 3 Administrator. "Godswill Obot Akpabio: The Man of the Moment". old.nationaldailyng.com. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- ↑ "Akpabio: The game changer strikes gold". News Express Nigeria. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- ↑ "Nigerian Music, Video, Album, Mixtape & Entertainment News » Naijaturnup". Naijaturnup. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- ↑ "Governor Godswill Akpabio Emerges Chairman Of PDP Governor's Forum | Silverbird Television". silverbirdtv.com. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- ↑ "Akpabio emerges Senate Minority Leader - Premium Times Nigeria". Premium Times Nigeria. 2015-07-28. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- ↑ "Akpabio is senate minority leader - TheCable". TheCable. 2015-07-28. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- ↑ Vanguard, News. "Akpabio drops Senate Minority leader post". Retrieved 7 August 2018.
- ↑ "Akpabio formally defects to APC". 8 August 2018.
- ↑ "The Nation Newspaper Nigeria - Read Latest Nigeria News". The Nation Nigeria. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- ↑
- ↑ "AKPABIO: THE MAN WHO REDEFINED GOVERNANCE : Nigerian Latest News Papers News Online". www.nigerianbestforum.com. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- ↑
- ↑
- 1 2 3 4 5
- ↑ "Home". www.sharpedgenews.com. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- ↑
- ↑ "Governor of Akwa-Ibom and CBN Win Award on Good Governance — Economic Confidential". Economic Confidential. 2011-02-01. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- ↑ "Akpabio: Honours without end - The Nation Nigeria". The Nation Nigeria. 2013-05-16. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- ↑ "Akpabio urges Nigerians to embrace dialogue - Vanguard News". Vanguard News. 2011-09-21. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- 1 2 "FUTO honours Sambo, Akpabio with doctorate degrees - Vanguard News". Vanguard News. 2011-11-30. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- ↑ Akpan-Iquot, Itoro E. "Akwa Ibom State Government News | Akwa Ibom News (AIN) Online - Sitippe Mfin Ke Akwa Ibom Mme Nigeria". www.akwaibomnewsonline.com. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Akpabio and the goldfish syndrome - Vanguard News". Vanguard News. 2011-12-06. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- ↑ "FUTO honours Sambo, Akpabio with doctorate degrees - Vanguard News". www.nigeria70.com. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- ↑ "New 007 mission for Jaguar Land Rover". 24 April 2018.
- ↑ "Akpabio bags Best Governor in Africa Award - Vanguard News". Vanguard News. 2013-05-20. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- ↑ "Akpabio Bags Best Governor in Africa Award – Pointblank News". pointblanknews.com. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- ↑ "LEADERSHIP Server Is Busy". leadership.ng.
- ↑ "New 007 mission for Jaguar Land Rover". 24 April 2018.
- ↑ "Akpabio is Tribune's Gov of the Year...Sanusi,Tribune's Man of the Year - Tribune News". www.nigeria70.com. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- ↑ "AKPABIO: THE MAN WHO REDEFINED GOVERNANCE". 25 February 2012.
- ↑ Akpan-Iquot, Itoro E. "Akwa Ibom State Government News | Akwa Ibom News (AIN) Online - Sitippe Mfin Ke Akwa Ibom Mme Nigeria". www.akwaibomnewsonline.com. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- ↑ "Man of the year; Daily Independent picks Gov Akpabio, Adenuga - Vanguard News". Vanguard News. 2010-02-14. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- 1 2 "AKPABIO: A TOAST TO THE UNCOMMON TRANSFORMER AT 49". www.nigerianbestforum.com. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- 1 2 "AKPABIO: THE MAN WHO REDEFINED GOVERNANCE". Nigerian Voice. Retrieved 2017-12-21.