The President of the Senate,Dr Ahmed Lawan led Senators cut across party and geographical lines on Tuesday to celebrate one of their own, Senator( Dr) Barinada Mpigi.on his 61st birthday
Mpigi, the firstborn of his family hails from Koroma- Tai in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State and represents Rivers South East in the Senate He was also a two – term member of the House of Representatives for Tai/ Eleme Federal Constituency.
The celebration which began in the office of Senator Mpigi immediately after plenary had an array of most distinguished senators in attendance including the new Minority leader,Senator Philip Aduda, Former Minority leader, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe, Former Governors of Abia State, Senator Theodore Orji and Senator Orji Uzor Kalu,
Others include Senator George Sekibo, Senator Onyewuchi Francis Ezenwa , Senator Adamu Mohammed Bulkachuwa , Senator Sabi Abdullahi, Clerk of the Senate, Francis Akabueze and the Senior Special Assistant to the President of the Senate, Senator Babajide Omoworare.
Others who joined the celebration were some members of the green chamber,Rep Awajinombe Abiante, Rep T.D Yusuf who is also the Senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP
for Kogi West and Rep. Dozie Nwankwo.
The Gbenemene of Nyorkhana,King Baridam and the immediate past commissioner of Energy,Rivers State,Dr Peter Medee also graced the occasion.
Speaking at the occasion, the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan wished the celebrant a happy birthday. He wished the celebrant good political outing and expressed optimism of Mpigi ‘s return to the Senate saying ” You are coming back, when you come back,we wish you the best of outing, For all of us we have one thing in common.Today we are all brothers and sisters,so it will be tommorow by God’s grace.
” Nigeria needs us more than any set of people because we make laws and when we do laws, these laws are supposed to make our country better despite the fact that we are not understood easily but that’s the price we have to pay in the service of our fatherland. “
In his remarks on his special day,Mpigi described the day as memorable. He said it was the first time he would celebrate his birthday in his office and expressed delight that most of his colleagues turned out to felicitate him.
” This is one of the memorable occasions because for the first time I’m celebrating in an office and gladly all my colleagues in the Senate and the House of Representatives happened to have been here so I can say there’s dignity in labour. And for my colleagues to have celebrated me today is in between the week but I think Iam fulfilled because that shows that in between work,you can also have pleasure and ,in between life, you can also see that there’s favour.so favour actually came today. I think I feel fulfilled.”
Asked how he sees life going forward, the distinguished Senator said trusting in God is the key to the future.
He said events in the country have shown that man cannot be trusted but trust and hope in God is the answer to the future . He said that recently , the Lords, the high end mighty were all brought down but those who put their hope and trust in God will not be forsaken.
Senator Mpigi ‘s wife, Patricia,was on hand to attend to the guests.
