By Our Reporter
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – President of the Nigerian Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has called on lawmakers around the world to unite in promoting peace, justice, and a shared global future. He made this appeal during his address at the 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments, currently underway in Geneva, Switzerland. The event is jointly organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the United Nations.
Delivering his remarks under the conference theme, “A World in Turmoil: Multilateralism for Peace, Justice and Prosperity for All,” Akpabio emphasized the urgent need for parliamentary collaboration beyond national and partisan boundaries.
“As parliamentarians, let us commit to collaboration and the courageous pursuit of solutions that transcend borders and partisan divides,” he said. “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 ashes. A nation that finds clarity in confusion and keeps sailing through storms and rough weather.”
This was contained in a statement signed by the Special Assistant (Media) to the President of the Senate, Jackson Udom made available to Precise Post on Wednesday.
Akpabio painted a sobering picture of global challenges, citing wars, poverty, and the growing technological divide, especially in developing countries. He noted that these crises are no longer isolated but interconnected due to globalization.
“In Nigeria, we face armed conflict, climate disruption, and youth disillusionment. Terrorists exploit poverty and displacement. Farmer-herder clashes and the proliferation of small arms threaten national unity,” he said. “But we are not defined by what we face, but by how we rise.”
He highlighted legislative actions taken by the Nigerian Senate in response to these challenges, including the passage of key laws such as:
The Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Act
The Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act
The Out-of-School Children Education Act
Akpabio also noted efforts to empower youth and foster innovation through Nigeria’s 10-year National Digital Strategy and the Start-Up Act, while improving credit access and digital literacy.
Inclusion, he added, remains a legislative priority. “The Not Too Young To Run Act was a summons to a new generation. Women and persons with disabilities are no longer on the margins,” he said, adding that legislation to institutionalize gender quotas is currently underway.
On poverty reduction, Akpabio mentioned initiatives like education loans, vocational training programs, tax reforms for vulnerable populations, and direct cash transfers, all designed to align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He concluded by urging the global parliamentary community to move beyond rhetoric and make multilateralism a living force in tackling shared problems. “Multilateralism must not become a rhetoric. It must rise as a movement of resolve,” he said. “When one corner [of humanity] is torn by conflict or injustice, the whole fabric is weakened.”
Akpabio’s speech was a call to action: “Let us not simply convene; we must command. Let us bind our futures not only in treaties but in tenacity—and remain paragons of purpose.”
