Parliaments should be defenders of peace, justice — Akpabio

The President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has called on parliaments worldwide to rise as defenders of peace, justice, and humanity.

The Chairman of the National Assembly said this in his address to delegates at the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

Speaking under the Assembly’s theme: “Nurturing Hope, Securing Peace and Ensuring Justice for Future Generations,” Akpabio noted that the gathering comes at a time of mounting global tension, with conflicts spreading across regions and testing the resilience of nations and institutions. 

Speakers at the opening ceremony had similarly urged renewed commitment to multilateral cooperation and democratic values.

“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 said.

Drawing from Nigeria’s experience with conflict and nation-building, the Senate president emphasised the central role of legislatures as “the first hope of the masses” and described parliaments as “the conscience of the people.”

He warned that no region is immune to instability, citing ongoing conflicts across the Middle East, Europe, and Africa, and called for a global shift from war to development.

He said: “It is time to turn from destruction to construction… and redirect the instruments of war toward the work of development.”

Highlighting the human cost of conflict, Akpabio stressed that beyond casualty figures lie broken families and devastated communities. 

He urged the global community to reject a world where power defines justice.

He said: “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., Akpabio reminded delegates of humanity’s shared destiny and called for collective action.

He further urged the IPU to take a more decisive role in strengthening global institutions, particularly the United Nations, and in amplifying the voice of vulnerable nations.

In closing, the former governor called for a renewed global commitment.

He said: “Let this moment mark a turning point… a covenant not just with our people, but with posterity.”

Nigeria reaffirmed its readiness to work with the international community to build a world where hope, peace, and justice endure.

Speaking earlier at the opening ceremony, the President of the IPU, Tulia Ackson, who is also the Speaker of the National Assembly of Tanzania, urged member parliaments to uphold their democratic responsibilities, strengthen international solidarity, and act decisively in addressing rising global conflicts and inequalities, noting that the world looks to legislatures not only for laws, but for leadership and moral clarity.

The IPU is the global organisation of national parliaments bringing together legislators from around the world to promote peace, democracy, and sustainable development through dialogue, cooperation, and parliamentary diplomacy.