Chief Solomon Aguene, President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos, Congratulates Akpabio On Election Into Executive Committee Of Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU

Chief Solomon Aguene

OpenLife Nigeria reports that Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene, President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos State, has congratulated His Excellency, Chief Godswill Akpabio, President of the Senate, Federal Republic of Nigeria on his election into the executive committee of Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU at the 147th general assembly in Luanda, Angola.

Congratulating Akpabio, Chief Solomon Aguene who is also the Chairman, Board of Trustees, Aguene Arts Foundation, said that the appointment did not come to him as a surprise.

He explained that given Akpabio’s commitment and excellent track records in Public office right from his days as a Commissioner under former governor Obong Attah in Akwa Ibom State, the election into the global legislative body is well deserved.

The Lagos Ohanaeze President and Patron, African Pride of Art and Craft of Nigeria, an association comprising art dealers and artistes in Nigeria, noted that the leadership of IPU would soon begin to feel the positive impacts of Senator Akpabio through developmental inputs to programmes and policies.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with OpenLife, Chief Aguene said:

“The overwhelming votes by delegates from over 179 countries across the world for our own Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to become an executive committee member of IPU did not come to me as a surprise.

“Akpabio is a man of integrity. He is a performer. He did very well as governor of Akwa Ibom State. He transformed Akwa Ibom and built legacy structures.

“He also performed very well as Minister of Niger Delta. He has done us proud being the first Nigerian to be elected into the committee since 1946,”  the renowned business man and foremost African art collector with master piece of both ancient and modern art works in his possession, stated.

Further Chief Aguene said “ So, I congratulate Akpabio, once again. I also extend my congratulations to our President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who supported Akpabio to become Senate President.”

Chief Solomon who is also the national patron of Nigerian Football Supporters club advised that “Nigerians must do everything to support leaders irrespective of the political party one belongs.”

Chief Solomon Ogbonna was nicknamed “Man of the moment in African art collection especially the works from Nigeria origin” by Edem Duke, former Minister of Culture and Tourism when he visited him at his Lekki home and saw his collection of arts works.

However, it would be noted that the IPU is a global organisation of national parliaments founded in 1889 that is dedicated to promoting peace through parliamentary diplomacy and dialogue.

The 2023 IPU general assembly, in which Akpabio was elected, deliberated on issues affecting nations across the world and considered actions to strengthen trust between people and governance structures.

The assembly also deliberated on how to make institutions more effective, accountable and representative.

Lawmakers from across the world tabled multiple interconnected geopolitical, economic and environmental crises facing the world.