Akpabio Urges Senators to Put Nigeria Above Politics, Make Security and Welfare a Priority

Akpabio Urges Senators to Put Nigeria Above Politics, Make Security and Welfare a Priority

Nigeria’s  Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, on Tuesday charged senators to rise above partisan interests and place Nigeria’s security, unity and the welfare of citizens at the centre of their legislative agenda as the National Assembly resumed plenary after its recess.

Newera News learnt that while welcoming lawmakers back to the Red Chamber, Akpabio said the country’s mounting security challenges, worsening kidnappings and the continued captivity of abducted schoolchildren in Ondo State demand urgent legislative attention and collective national resolve.

He described the Senate’s resumption as a renewed call to national service rather than a mere constitutional routine, stressing that lawmakers remain accountable to the more than 200 million Nigerians they represent.
“Our recess was never an intermission from national service. Parliament may adjourn, but democracy never sleeps,” Akpabio said.

According to him, senators spent the recess engaging with their constituents and also responded whenever national duty required their presence, demonstrating that patriotism must always take precedence over personal convenience.
Reflecting on the political activities that took place during the break, including party primaries, the Senate President said democracy had once again proved its resilience despite producing both winners and losers.

He urged political actors to respect constitutional processes, noting that the stability of any democracy depends on placing national interest above personal ambition.

“History teaches that nations rarely collapse because they hold elections, but because they refuse to respect them. Democracy endures when the nation is valued above victory and ambition bows to the Constitution,” he said.

Akpabio lamented that insecurity continues to cast a shadow across the country, with many families living in fear because of terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.
He expressed sympathy for families of abducted victims, particularly the schoolchildren kidnapped in Ondo State, assuring them that the Senate remained committed to supporting every lawful effort aimed at securing their release.

“For as long as one Nigerian remains in captivity, all Nigerians share in that captivity,” he said.
The Senate President commended the Armed Forces, the Police, intelligence agencies and other security institutions for their ongoing operations against criminal groups, urging them to sustain the offensive until every captive regains freedom and those responsible are brought to justice.

He reaffirmed the Senate’s readiness to provide legislative support for measures that strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture, insisting that peace remains the foundation for sustainable development.

According to him, economic growth, investment, agriculture and education cannot thrive in an atmosphere of fear and insecurity.

“Roads cannot flourish where fear governs the highways. Investors cannot build where kidnappers build camps. Farmers cannot feed a nation while fleeing their farms,” he said.

Akpabio also challenged senators to meet Nigerians’ expectations through quality legislation, diligent oversight and constructive engagement with the executive.

He said the Senate must enact laws that stimulate enterprise, protect vulnerable citizens, strengthen education and healthcare, create opportunities for young people and safeguard the dignity of labour.

He further urged lawmakers to conduct oversight without partisanship, describing the Senate as the vigilant guardian of the public trust.

Calling for unity within the legislature, Akpabio urged senators to embrace the politics of nation-building and conduct debates without undermining one another.

“We may not always see eye to eye, but we must always stand shoulder to shoulder. We are not merely making laws for today; we are shaping the destiny of generations yet unborn,” he said.

The Senate President reminded lawmakers that the Constitution identifies the security and welfare of Nigerians as the primary purpose of government and urged that every committee and legislative decision be guided by the principle of ensuring Nigerians ‘ interests come first.