Senate President Godswill Akpabio has called on parliaments worldwide to act as guardians of peace, justice and humanity amid escalating global tensions.
Speaking at the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) – themed Nurturing Hope, Securing Peace and Ensuring Justice for Future Generations – Akpabio warned that no region remains immune to instability, citing ongoing crises in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.
According to a statement from his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, the Senate President told delegates: “I bring you warm greetings from the resilient people of Nigeria – a nation that has learned that peace is not inherited; it is built, defended, and sustained.”
Drawing on Nigeria’s experience with conflict and nation-building, he described legislatures as “the first hope of the masses” and “the conscience of the people.”
“It is time to turn from destruction to construction,” Akpabio declared, “and redirect the instruments of war towards the work of development.”
He underscored the human cost of conflict, noting that casualty figures mask broken families and shattered communities. “This is not merely a crisis of security – it is a crisis of leadership. Might must not be mistaken for right, and weakness must never justify injustice.”
Quoting Martin Luther King Jr., the Senate President pressed for collective action and urged the IPU to strengthen global institutions, particularly the United Nations, while amplifying the voice of vulnerable nations.
“Let this moment mark a turning point… a covenant not just with our people, but with posterity,” he said in closing.
Akpabio reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to work with the international community to secure a future where hope, peace and justice endure.
Earlier, IPU President Tulia Ackson, who also serves as Speaker of Tanzania’s National Assembly, called on member parliaments to uphold democratic duties and act decisively on conflicts and inequality, noting that the world looks to legislatures not only for laws, but for leadership and moral clarity.
