By Isaac Okoro
Lekki, Lagos – Senate President Godswill Akpabio has issued a stern warning to governors in their second term, urging them to prioritize vision and preparedness over blind loyalty when choosing their successors. Speaking at the commissioning of the first 30 kilometers of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in Lekki on Saturday, May 31, 2025, Akpabio cautioned against selecting individuals solely based on their perceived subservience, highlighting the potential for future betrayal.
The former Akwa Ibom Governor stressed that opting for a successor simply because they are consistently deferential could lead to power being entrusted to someone unprepared for the demands of governance. “Do not give power to anybody who is not looking for power,” Akpabio stated, addressing the governors. “Don’t give power to anybody who is not prepared. Don’t go hiding in your heart that this boy is very subservient; he is always kneeling when he is talking to me, and his wife is always rolling on the floor. I think I should make this one the governor.”
Akpabio asserted that such criteria often lead to disappointment and betrayal. “If you do that, you are giving power to somebody who is not prepared for governance, and they will disappoint you. This is where betrayals normally start. I am just trying to give some advice.”
He emphasized the importance of selecting leaders with a clear vision for the future, particularly among governors belonging to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He attributed the success of APC governors to the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, whom he described as a leader “who has both sight and vision.”
The commissioning ceremony was attended by President Bola Tinubu, Minister of Works Dave Umahi, and second-term governors including Hope Uzodimma (Imo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), and Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), among other dignitaries. Akpabio’s comments are likely to spark debate and further scrutiny on the upcoming succession plans in states governed by leaders nearing the end of their constitutional mandates.
