Senate President Godswill Akpabio has claimed he had never taken alcohol or smoke cigarettes in his life because of their side effects in the human system.
Akpabio made this revelation while admonishing secondary schools students from across the country who participated in the grand finale of the National Quiz Competition organised by the National Institute For Legislative And Democratic Studies (NILDS).
The theme of the quiz competition was “The legislature and democracy”.
At the end of the keenly contested event, Saint Theresa’s College Nsukka, Enugu State won the competition.
Greater Tomorrow International School, Arigidi-Ikare Akoko, Ondo State came second while the School for the Gifted in Gwagwalada came third.
Akpabio, who commended the participants for getting to the finals of the quiz, urged youths to shun vices that could affect their dreams and aspirations in life.
He specifically urged them to refrain from taking alcohol or engage in smoking any form of substance that could be injurious to their health.
Akpabio said: “You should strive to become visionary leaders in future by abstaining from things that would truncate your dreams and goals.
“In my own case, I have never smoke cigarettes or taken alcohol before. This is because, growing up, I listened to parental guidance.
“As a kid, I usually see a man who would stagger on the road and fall into the gutters. I asked my mum who told me it was because he was drunk.
“Some people would drink alcohol and drive home while others would drink and drive to paradise”.
Akpabio said Nigeria deserved honest youths who are God-fearing.
The Director General of NILDS, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, said similar competitions were held at the state level, involving secondary schools drawn from the three senatorial districts in the 36 states.
He said the participating schools emerged from a competitive process with the School for the Gifted in Gwagwalada, representing the North Central and the FCT Zone.
