The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio has commended Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti for celebrating the Senator representing Abia South Senatorial zone, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe on his 70th birthday.
Senator Akpabio was speaking at the 70th birthday ceremony organised by the Abia State Government in honour of the former Deputy Governor of the State and Senator representing Abia South, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.
He described Senator Abaribe as a man of integrity who loves his people and can take risk for his people.
“Abaribe is a man who can sacrifice. He is a man who loves his people, Ndi Igbo.
“Senator Abaribe, when you signed the bail bond for Nnamdi Kanu, people were shocked and questioned why a Senator would take such risk?
“When I asked you why you did it? You said that you believe strongly that even if he runs away, you can go to prison on his behalf because of what he stands for.
“We are celebrating a man of astute integrity. We are celebrating a man of grace. it is God’s grace that has seen him through,” Akpabio stated.
The Senate President described Governor Alex Otti as a generous man whose generous heart is impacting on the welfare of Ndi Abia.
He reiterated that, Governor Otti’s decision to host Senator Abaribe despite political party differences is a pointer to the fact that he understands politics and have endeared himself to Abia people.
“Governor Alex Otti is like me. He will be generous to the people of Abia State because he is a man who is generous in his heart.
“I want to urge Governor Alex Otti, who has decided to honour you (Abaribe), that you (Otti) are not just honouring him, you are doing good politics, because through Abaribe, you have won the heart of the whole of Abia South Senatorial Zone.
“When you are going for your second term, you will see that this was money well spent.
“What you are doing today, Oh my God! If you know the way we rate Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe in Nigeria, you would know that you are celebrating a man that you cannot regret.
“This is why you see me here today, not necessarily for Abaribe, I have celebrated Abaribe in the Senate but I came to join you (Otti) to give glory to God for the life of a man that is worth emulating, for a role model of Ndi Igbo and the youths of Nigeria, for a great man of integrity,” Sen. Akpabio concluded.
Also speaking, the Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti while congratulating Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe on the milestone achieved, thanked God for his life and described him as a man of courage, fearless and one who is worth being celebrated.
The Governor explained that the celebration of Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe has no political attachment, saying that he is committed to celebrating Abians who are worthy of being celebrated.
“We are here to celebrate a man that is courageous, a man that is selfless, a man that is unafraid to say the truth to power.
“Sometimes, some of us were afraid for him but God preserved his life up till today. It is not because of him, it is grace .
“So, when I’m celebrating people that are worthy of being celebrated, I am not interested in politics, I am not even a regular politician anyway.
“I believe that people who are worthy of being celebrated should be celebrated and Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe is worth being celebrated.
He added that he would host similar ceremonies for some distinguished Abians including Senator Chris Adighije, Bright Chimezie, Paulson Kalu and posthumous birthday of Jaja Wachukwu among others.
The State Chief Executive, who said that the struggle for Biafra today is all about agitation for Ndigbo to be recognized and giving equal opportunities like others, noted that, it is in the heart of an average Igbo man.
“The Biafra fight is not about Nnamdi Kanu. If you read the book that we have just unveiled today, you will understand what the Biafra fight is about.
“The Biafra of old cannot happen anymore, but the Biafra of the mind;
“We want to be equal citizens, we want to be treated alike and that is a challenge to Sen. Akpabio. So, what we just demand is equal opportunity, that is all,”
The Celebrant Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe while thanking God for His uncommon grace upon his life, said that his frankness was a product of the virtues inculcated in him by his late father.
He stressed the need for those in position of trust to strive to put in place favourable policies and programmes that would raise the living standard of the people and increase life expectancy and thanked Governor Alex Otti for honouring him.
Earlier in a sermon, the Abia North Central Conference President of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Pastor Chimezie Iheoma noted that the celebrant, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe has remained politically relevant for many years counting due to his exceptional services to the State and Nation at large.
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The event which attracted many dignitaries from all walks of life featured presentation of a book titled “Unbundled” written by Senator Abaribe and cutting of birthday cake.
