Akpabio Urges Parliamentarians To Unite For Peace, Justice

Senate president, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has called on parliamentarians across the world to be united in a partnership committed to peace, justice, and a shared destiny.

Akpabio made the appeal at the 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments, hosted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in collaboration with the United Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland.

he said, “As parliamentarians, let us commit to collaboration and the courageous pursuit of solutions that transcend borders and partisan divides.

“I bring you greetings from the Senate and the resilient people of Nigeria. I come from a nation that has endured fire and risen from the ashes – a nation that finds clarity amid confusion and continues to sail through storms and turbulent times.

“This conference – ‘A World in Turmoil: Multilateralism for Peace, Justice and Prosperity for All’ – meets the moment. Across the globe, conflict drowns out the songs of peace. War consumes not only homes, but the hopes of families. And while science advances, millions, especially in developing nations, remain trapped in cycles of fear and deprivation.

“With the world now a global village, these are no longer distant crises. I urge affected nations not to surrender to despair. In the Nigerian Senate, we have chosen to legislate in the storm, reform in the furnace, and lead with courage.

“We face armed conflict, climate disruption, and youth disillusionment. Terrorists exploit poverty and displacement.

Farmer-herder clashes and the proliferation of small arms threaten our unity.

But we are not defined by what we face, but by how we rise. In the furnace of turmoil, we are becoming stronger, wiser, and more determined to build a greater nation.”

Akpabio emphasised, “In parliament, we are legislating to secure the future. In partnership with the Executive, we have passed laws to confront insecurity and rebuild trust, including the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Act, the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, and the Out-of-School Children Education Act, among others.

“We are investing in innovation through a 10-year National Digital Strategy to empower our youth and bridge the digital divide. Through the Start-Up Act, expanded access to credit, and digital training initiatives, we are unlocking potential long constrained by poverty.

“We are also advancing inclusion. The Not Too Young to Run Act was a call to a new generation. Women and persons with disabilities are no longer on the margins. Legislation is underway to institutionalise gender quotas — because inclusion, not exclusion, must be our standard.

“We have implemented strategies to fight poverty, including education loans, vocational training, tax reforms for the vulnerable, and cash transfers to the poorest households — all aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.”

He added, “Multilateralism must not become mere rhetoric. It must rise as a movement of collective resolve. The Nigerian Parliament believes in international solidarity as a shared responsibility. Humanity is a single tapestry; when one corner is torn by conflict or injustice, the entire fabric is weakened.

“Let us therefore stand in partnership, committed to peace, justice, and a shared destiny. We must not simply convene; we must lead. Let us bind our futures not only through treaties, but through tenacity, and remain paragons of purpose.