Godswill Obot Akpabio is a Nigerian politician, who was Governor of Akwa Ibom from 2007 to 2015.
He was the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs before he resigned on May 11, 2022, to contest the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Biography
Godswill Akpabio was born on December 9, 1962, to Madam Lucy Obot Akpabio (née Inyangetor) and Chief Obot Akpabio of Ukana, Ikot Ntuen, of the Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
His mother raised him after the early loss of his father.
Akpabio received his education at the Methodist Primary School in Ukana, Essien Udim LGA, Akwa Ibom State, Federal Government College in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and the University of Calabar, Cross River State, where he earned a law degree.
He was the Senior Prefect at the Federal Government College in Port Harcourt. He also won the parliamentary year speaker election at the University of Calabar.
Career
Akpabio briefly worked as a teacher and an associate lawyer with Paul Usoro & Co, a law firm.
He also worked for a wireless telecommunications firm, EMIS Telecoms Limited, in Lagos. He became the business’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer in 2002. He played a role in influencing the future of the developing telecoms sector in this capacity.
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While a director of EMIS, he was the national publicity secretary of the Association of Telecommunication Companies in Nigeria (ATCOM).
He was appointed Honourable Commissioner for Petroleum and Natural Resources in 2002 by Akwa Ibom State’s then-Gov. Obong Victor Attah. He was also Commissioner in the Lands and Housing, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and Petroleum and Natural Resources ministries between 2002 and 2006.
Akpabio was chosen as Chairman of the newly established PDP Governors Forum in 2013.
He ran for and was elected to represent the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District (Ikot Ekpene) in the Nigerian Senate in 2015. He received 422,009 of the 439,449 votes cast while running on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket, defeating Chief Inibehe Okorie of the APC, who received 15,152 votes and was subsequently declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
On July 28, 2015, the PDP South-South caucus nominated Akpabio for the position of Senate Minority Leader. The PDP Senate caucus approved his nomination, and the Senate President formally swore him in as the new leader. In the general elections of 2015, the PDP was defeated by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and lost the majority.
Akpabio resigned as Senate Minority Leader after publicly declaring his defection to the APC in August 2018. A political rally was held in his hometown, Ikot Ekpene, to commemorate his defection.
President Muhammadu Buhari nominated him for a ministerial position in July 2019, and the Nigerian Senate reviewed his nomination. He was sworn in as the Minister for Niger Delta Affairs on August 21, 2019.
Governor
He ran for Governor of Akwa Ibom State in a contested primary election in 2006, defeating 57 other candidates to become the PDP candidate. He was elected Governor in 2007. In 2011, he was elected to serve a second term.
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Achievements
The modern stadium built in Akwa Ibom State was named after Akpabio for his impressive performance as state governor. Many people believe the stadium to be the most attractive in Nigeria. The 30,000-seater Godswill Akpabio Stadium was fashioned after Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena.
It was built by Julius Berger and inaugurated in 2015.
The governor has received several awards, both international and local. Some of them include:
- The United States Congress’s Congressional Certificate of Recognition (2011).
- Africa Lifetime Achievement Prize from Kenya-based Millennium Excellence Foundation.
- Gold Humanitarian Services Award of the Republic of Niger 2008 from His Excellency Alhaji Moussa Ibrahim, the Niger ambassador to Nigeria.
- A Commander of the Niger Order (CON).
- Central Bank of Nigeria’s Best Governor Infrastructure and Empowerment Award (2012).
Controversy
During his tenure as Governor of Akwa Ibom State (2007–2015), Godswill Akpabio was the subject of an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations that he stole more than N100 billion from the state. American diplomats described the level of corruption during this time as “exceptional.” But no complaints have been made. Leo Ekpenyong, a lawyer who accused Akpabio of corruption, was later charged with slander by the police and appeared in court.
Members of the House of Representatives called Akpabio to testify in May 2020 on the theft of N40 billion while he was a minister.
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Net worth
Godswill Akpabio is one of Nigeria’s wealthiest politicians. His net worth is projected to be over $100 million as of 2021.
Family
Akpabio is married to Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, and they have a son and four daughters. Godswill Akpabio is a devout Catholic. He also has another son, Glenn Udosen, with another woman.
Godswill Akpabio – 2023 Presidency
Earlier this year, Akpabio announced his intentions to run for the presidential election in 2023. He enjoyed massive support from Akwa Ibom indigenes.
However, he did not participate in the primary held at Abuja after stepping down for eventual winner, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Conclusion
Okuku Udo Akpabio, Akpabio’s grandfather, served as Ikot Ekpene’s Warrant Chief. In then-Eastern Nigeria, Dr. I. U. Akpabio served as the minister of education and internal affairs. In the Second Nigerian Republic, his cousin Justice Nsima Akpabio served as a senator.
Akpabio’s wife founded the non-governmental organisation, Family Life Enhancement Initiative (FLEI), which offers a forum for refocusing development efforts on the family as a means of accomplishing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
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