[5][6] He also served as minister for Niger Delta Affairs from 2019 up till 2022 when he resigned to seek re-election into the Nigerian senate.

[12] In the University of Calabar, Akpabio was elected as the Student Union Government (SUG) Speaker of the 1987/88 parliamentary year.

Akpabio briefly worked as a teacher before joining Paul Usoro and Co., a prominent law firm in Nigeria as an associate partner.

[25] In 2002, he was appointed Honourable Commissioner for Petroleum and Natural Resources by the then Governor Obong Victor Attah in Akwa Ibom State.

Between 2002 and 2006, he served as a Commissioner in three key ministries: Petroleum and Natural Resources, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, as well as Lands and Housing.

Running under the platform of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), he polled 422,009 of the 439,449 to defeat Chief Inibehe Okorie of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who recorded 15,152 votes to be declared elected by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

His defection was marked by a Political rally in his hometown at the Ikot Ekpene township stadium, Akwa Ibom State.

[33] In July 2019, he was nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari and screened by the Nigerian Senate for a Ministerial appointment.

[38][39][40] Godswill Akpabio was under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on accusations that he diverted over 100 billion Naira from Akwa Ibom State during his time as governor (2007-2015) with American diplomats calling the level of corruption "exceptional" during his tenure.