Nigerians Drag Akpabio for Blaming Emefiele over Nigeria’s Economic Woes

Several Nigerians yesterday dragged the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, for blaming a former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, of being partly responsible for Nigeria’s current economic challenges.

Akpabio spoke at the weekend, in Koroma, Tai local council, during a thanksgiving service organised by Senator Barry Mpigi, representing Rivers South-east Senatorial District, for his electoral victory.

At the event, Akpabio compared the poor economic condition President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inherited to a pail filled with foam, but which underneath it had a small quantity of water.

"God has been able to merge us together politically. What we need now is economic rejuvenation and I believe strongly that through President Bola Tinubu, God will answer our prayer.

"Nigeria was like a foam inside a pail. As the foam has filled the pail you think that it was water. The economic situation was tricky. By the time you push your hands you will only touch water towards the bottom. So the kind of economic mess we were in, a lot of people do not understand.

"Like Obama would say you cannot know Washington until you get to Washington. So by the time we went in, the economic situation was terrible. We don't even know what to charge the former Central Bank governor (Emefiele) with. Whether to charge him for putting foam on top of the pail or to charge him for printing notes without income. I don't know what we will charge him with.

“What we know is that we are here today because of the actions and policies that they took and we recognise that, but we are now battling to ensure that Nigerians cab sleep with their eyes closed and have three square meals on their tables," he stated.

He insisted that Tinubu's policies were designed to gradually give the country the desired economic footprints, adding that such feat would not happen overnight.

Also, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, said that though people complained that the decisions of Tinubu were hard, they remain the only way to take the country to its destination.

But in several online reactions, many Nigerians accused Akpabio of being a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

Some Nigerians took to X to berate the former minister for accusing Emefiele of corruption when he is also being accused of the same allegation.

A Nigerian with the handle, @brotherbarth wrote: “The same Akpabio of the ‘off your mic’ drama. The same Akpabio that has nothing to show at the NDDC.

“The same Akpabio that alongside his colleagues wasted billions on luxury SUVs. The same Akpabio that allowed humongous billions to the National Assembly in the 2024 appropriation.

“The same Akpabio that moves on a long string of absolutely unnecessary convoys except for a display of arrogance. The same Akpabio that was rewarded with senate presidency for the role he played in bringing Tinubu to Aso Rock that he didn’t win. The same Akpabio… Let me stop here. I write from the wilderness,” he said.

Also, @SadiqTade wrote: “You served under the last administration. Was Emefiele your boss then?”

In the same vein, @ MudiagaEsiekpe wrote: “Don’t worry Akpabio, your own case will be revisited when you leave power. Remember power is transient.”

The case was not different for @Pauly2570, who wrote wrote: “Start by refunding all the ones you looted as well as the token sent to your email boxes. Then the billion Naira SUV cars should be sold and the money ploughed back into the economy.

“That’s when I can consider taking you seriously. Otherwise, you’re only mocking the people,” he said.

On its part, @Gracedup1 wrote: “Akpabio that stole Akwa Ibom blind? This guy was wanted by EFCC until he decamped to APC and smuggled his way to Senate President’s seat.”, while @DePatriot wrote: “Can’t blame Akpabio!

“The same Akpabio coordinated the purchase of hundreds of foreign SUVs & millions of Naira salaries for legislators whose only duties is lawmaking and oversight functions, of no gains!”

Also, @ai_austin wrote: “These people want to deflect our attention and put everything on Emefiele. You’d terribly naive to believe this narrative.”