Senate President Godswill Akpabio has issued a bold warning to second-term governors, especially those in the All Progressives Congress (APC), against choosing successors based on loyalty displays like kneeling or exaggerated humility. He said such selections often end in betrayal once the governors leave office.
Speaking during the commissioning of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in Lekki on Saturday, Akpabio told governors that sycophancy is not leadership and those who base their choice on who kneels or rolls on the floor may soon regret it.
Akpabio Cautions Against Emotional Succession Decisions
“We have a president who has both sight and vision,” Akpabio began, addressing an audience that included President Bola Tinubu, Wole Soyinka, Wale Edun, Dave Umahi, and governors Hope Uzodimma, Dapo Abiodun, and Babajide Sanwo-Olu. He continued with a clear message to outgoing governors:
“Do not give power to anybody who is not looking for power. 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, his wife is always rolling on the floor, I think I should make this one the governor.”
According to Akpabio, such sentimental decision-making is the root of many betrayals in Nigerian politics. “If you do that, you are giving power to somebody who is not prepared for governance and they will disappoint you,” he said. “This is where betrayals normally start. I am just trying to give some advice.”
Godfatherism Continues to Threaten Nigeria’s Democracy
In Nigeria, the idea that an outgoing governor must “install” a successor is nothing new. This political culture of handpicking loyalists often described as godfatherism, continues to dominate state-level governance. But as Akpabio rightly noted, many of these “loyal boys” have gone on to break ranks with their political godfathers, exposing the instability that such backdoor succession planning causes.
The irony is glaring: in a democracy, power is supposed to belong to the people. Yet in many states, voters are sidelined while powerful individuals decide who gets on the ballot. Akpabio’s comment isn’t just a casual observation, it exposes the absurdity of a broken political culture where kneeling and sycophancy trump competence and readiness.
Governors Choosing Kneeling Successors Face Betrayal — Akpabio
Akpabio’s headline-worthy advice may not sit well with the political elite who thrive on patronage, but it shines a necessary light on a growing problem. If governors continue to pick successors based on how low they kneel instead of how prepared they are, the result will keep being betrayal, chaos, and poor leadership.
He concluded with praise for the current president’s foresight, but his message to governors remains: choose vision over flattery, or be ready for betrayal.
