BREAKING NEWS: “Poverty Is Not a Crime” – Senate President Akpabio Tells Nigerians from Rome

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has told Nigerians that poverty is not a crime. He made the comment in Rome after attending the funeral of Pope Francis last Saturday at the Vatican. Akpabio led a five-member federal government delegation to the event. Speaking in an interview with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) via Zoom, Akpabio said:

“When you look at the Catholic Church, the Catholic Church is not just a church. The Vatican is also regarded as a state. So you have the head of state that died and was buried today. You also have the country that headed this flock all over the world, well over 1.5 billion in number.

“And you have a man who died as a man today, the Pope, who was worth only $100, showing that yes, we cannot worship God in splendour and that the best way to worship God is to worship God through self-sacrifice for others.

“So the message is very clear that Nigerians should love one another and that poverty is not a crime and that poverty could sometimes be a virtue, a virtue of God and that whatever you have you should be able to share with your brothers and sisters and above all in this period of Easter.”

Pope Francis passed away last Monday.