President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has visited the Prayer Ground of St. Padre Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy, where he prayed for an end to banditry and terrorism in Nigeria and peaceful conduct of the 2027 general elections.
Akpabio made the disclosure while speaking with St. Padre Pio TV/Radio during his visit to the religious site.
The Senate President said he and members of his delegation visited the prayer ground to seek God’s blessings for themselves, their families and Nigeria, which he said is facing security challenges.
“We are all from Nigeria. We came to offer prayers and get blessings from God for ourselves, families and our dear country that is currently being ravaged by banditry and terrorism,” Akpabio said.
He said the visit provided an opportunity for them to pray for the country and present their intentions at a site associated with St. Padre Pio.
“We are here on this prayer ground and we are going home fulfilled that we were able to touch this holy ground, drop our intentions which he will take to God on our behalf,” he said.
Akpabio recalls wife’s health crisis
Akpabio also spoke about his family’s personal connection to St. Padre Pio, recalling the critical illness suffered by his wife, Unoma Akpabio, in Germany.
According to the Senate President, his wife spent six months in a coma after an operation reportedly went wrong and was placed on life support.
He said he turned to prayer during the difficult period and sought the intercession of St. Padre Pio.
“My wife was in a coma for six months in a hospital in Germany. She was 98 percent dead. I used the picture of Pio to make a sign of the cross on her, instead of putting off the life-support machine she was on.
“She had an operation that went wrong. I cried to Mother Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, and called on Pio to intercede,” he said.
Akpabio said his wife subsequently regained consciousness, describing the development as miraculous.
“Miraculously, she woke up. That hospital, up till today, is yet to understand what happened,” he said.
The Senate President said the experience had deepened his personal devotion to St. Padre Pio.
“As someone who has experienced the powers in where I am standing, I can understand it more than anyone else,” he said.
‘This is my 10th visit’
Akpabio said his visit to the prayer ground was his 10th, adding that he and his family had continued to return to the site to express their gratitude.
“This is my 10th time here. When my wife was finally discharged from the hospital, she waited for three months before she could remember my name and those of the children.
“We are here today to give thanks to God and to thank Pio for always interceding for us,” he said.
He also described the prayer ground as a significant religious site and commended its upkeep.
“I am very impressed that the place has been well kept. This is a holy ground. Some people who are here might not even understand the significance of this ground, but those of us who are adherents and followers of Pio believe in his intercessions,” Akpabio said.
Family establishes Pio Football Academy
The Senate President further disclosed that his family had honoured St. Padre Pio by giving their son the baptismal name “Pio”.
He said the family also established the Pio Football Academy in his memory, with the initiative providing football training and scholarships to children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
“We honoured Pio by giving our son the baptismal name Pio. We equally established a big academy which we called Pio Football Academy, where we train and offer scholarships to children of the poor from nine years up to university level, all in memory of Pio,” he said.
Akpabio concluded his remarks with a prayer for the repose of the soul of St. Padre Pio.
