President of the Senate and Chairman of Nigeria’s National Assembly, Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON, has called for a model of democracy that gives every citizen a voice, strengthens public trust and creates opportunities that allow people and communities to thrive.
Addressing the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Arusha, Tanzania, Akpabio said democracy must ultimately be measured by the difference it makes in the everyday lives of the people it exists to serve.
The Senate President, who is leading Nigeria’s delegation to the global parliamentary gathering, spoke in an address titled “Inclusion, Trust and Opportunity.” His remarks aligned with the Assembly’s broader theme of enhancing good governance and empowering communities through inclusivity, trust and opportunities for all.
For Nigeria, Akpabio said democracy must mean more than elections, just as development must go beyond impressive statistics.
“Their true measure is the child who can attend school, the young person who can find work, and the family that can face tomorrow with confidence. If progress is not seen in our people, our work is not finished.”
He identified inclusion, trust and opportunity as essential foundations of a democracy in which citizens feel represented and have confidence in the future.
According to him, “Trust is the invisible currency of democracy,” and cannot simply be commanded or legislated into existence. It must be earned through fairness, transparency and accountability.
“Every promise kept strengthens trust; every citizen heard brings government closer to the people,” he said.
Parliament as a Bridge Between the People and Government
Akpabio also underscored the responsibility of parliament in ensuring that the concerns and aspirations of citizens find expression in government.
He said the Nigerian National Assembly continues to carry out this responsibility through legislation, representation, appropriation and oversight.
“Our chambers hear the voices of those who may never enter them. Parliament is a bridge over which the hopes of ordinary people travel into the decisions of government.”
For the Senate President, inclusion is particularly important in a country as diverse as Nigeria.
Nigeria’s many peoples, languages, cultures and faiths, he said, should be regarded as sources of national strength rather than barriers to collective progress.
“No citizen should be a stranger in his own country, and no community should stand at the margins of our common future.”
Akpabio said Nigeria’s diversity therefore makes inclusion both a national responsibility and a democratic necessity.
Expanding Opportunity for Nigerians
Speaking before parliamentarians from across the world, Akpabio highlighted reforms being pursued by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, working with the 10th National Assembly, to broaden participation and create greater opportunities for Nigerians.
He pointed to expanded regional development institutions designed to bring development closer to communities and respond more directly to local needs.
The Senate President also referenced ongoing tax reforms aimed at creating a fairer system, reducing burdens on low-income earners and small businesses, and strengthening enterprise.
On access to education, Akpabio highlighted the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), through which eligible students can access interest-free financing for higher education.
He said the intervention reflects a fundamental belief that a young Nigerian’s future should not be determined by economic circumstances.
“Poverty must never have the final word on a young person’s potential. The circumstances of birth must not become the boundaries of destiny.”
Turning Inclusion Into Participation
Akpabio called on parliaments around the world to strengthen their connection with the people they represent and build institutions capable of sustaining public confidence.
He urged delegates at the Assembly to renew their commitment to building “Parliaments that listen, governments that serve and institutions that keep faith with their people.”
The challenge before democratic institutions, he said, is to translate principles into outcomes that citizens can see and experience in their communities.
“Let us turn inclusion into participation, trust into partnership and opportunity into shared prosperity.”
He added that development must reach even the smallest communities and give every citizen a meaningful stake in the ambitions of their country.
“The smallest village must have a stake in the greatest national ambition. When every citizen can say, ‘I belong, I am heard, and my future matters,’ democracy becomes a promise fulfilled,” Akpabio said.
He concluded:
“That is the future Nigeria seeks. That is the future we must build together.”
The 153rd IPU Assembly, hosted by the National Assembly of Tanzania in Arusha from 5 to 9 October, brings together parliamentarians from around the world for discussions on good governance, community empowerment and other major international issues. The programme also includes meetings of the IPU’s statutory bodies and the election of a new IPU President.
