Senate President Godswill Akpabio says he no longer watches television because his comments are often misrepresented.
Akpabio spoke on Friday at the inauguration of access roads in Karsana, Abuja, where he clarified his recent remarks on infrastructure projects under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
“I have stopped watching television because most of the things they say are not what I said,” Akpabio said.
“You were there on that day, and they misrepresented what I said. I’m used to it. What I said was about the Federal Capital Territory.”
The Senate president said his remarks were specifically about the number of projects being commissioned in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by Tinubu and Nyesom Wike.
“I still repeat myself: I’ve never seen a president and a minister of the Federal Capital Territory commission projects anniversary after anniversary, with as many as 31 projects during the third anniversary,” he said.
“He (Wike) has whispered to me that before the commencement of elections in January next year, 19 more high-quality projects will be added for commissioning. So, let the people stop misquoting me.”
Akpabio said that although he was referring to the FCT, he could also point to infrastructure projects being executed across the country.
“I was talking about the Federal Capital Territory; if I were to talk about the states of the federation in general, I’ll still be right,” he said.
The Senate president said the Tinubu administration is executing major infrastructure projects nationwide.
“I can mention the fact that from Badagry to Sokoto, major infrastructure projects are being carried out today by this administration, and that stretch alone has 74 dams that will revolutionise agriculture in the northern region,” he said.
“I can also mention the coastal road that the people of the Niger Delta dreamt of for the past hundred years. But today, it has become a reality.”
Akpabio also praised the completion of a long-abandoned project at the headquarters of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), formerly the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
“The other day, we were at the former FIRS, now NRS, where we commissioned a project. I was shocked,” he said.
“I had seen that building right from when I was a commissioner in 2002. But under this administration, President Bola Tinubu has completed that place.
“Go and take a look at it. When you enter, you see quality. He is not discriminating between his own projects and those that were started 20 or 30 years ago.”
Akpabio added that infrastructure development is now reaching communities in the satellite towns of the FCT.
“The FCT was not created today, but the satellite towns are now feeling the impact of governance everywhere,” he said.
“Look at this road that we are about to commission. I used to hear of Karsana village, but now it has become Karsana city. It is easy to sit on television and talk and comment.”
