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Senate President Godswill Akpabio has asked parliaments worldwide to stand as guardians of peace, justice and humanity amid rising global tensions.
He made the call while addressing delegates at the 152nd Assembly of the Inter‑Parliamentary Union, IPU, in a speech themed ‘Nurturing Hope, Securing Peace and Ensuring Justice for Future Generations’.
Akpabio, according to a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, said the assembly convenes as conflicts test the resilience of nations and institutions across regions.
“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,” Akpabio told the gathering.
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”.
Warning that no region is immune to instability, Akpabio cited ongoing crises in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.
“It is time to turn from destruction to construction… and redirect the instruments of war toward the work of development,” he declared.
Akpabio 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,” he said.
Quoting Martin Luther King Jr., the Senate President reminded delegates of humanity’s shared destiny and pressed for collective action.
He urged the IPU to strengthen global institutions, especially the United Nations, and to amplify 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.
Nigeria, the Senate President added, stands ready to work with the international community to secure a future where hope, peace and justice endure.
Earlier, IPU President Tulia Ackson, Speaker of Tanzania’s National Assembly, called on member parliaments to uphold democratic duties and act decisively on conflicts and inequality.
She noted that the world looks to legislatures not only for laws, but for leadership and moral clarity.
The IPU brings together national parliaments to advance peace, democracy and sustainable development through dialogue and parliamentary diplomacy.
Akpabio at IPU, seeks defence of peace, justice, humanity by parliaments
