From Abdullateef Bambgose
President of the Senate, Sen Godswill Akpabio has called on parliaments worldwide to rise as defenders of peace, justice, and humanity.
Akpabio made the call 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,’ the Senate president noted that the gathering came 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.
Drawing from Nigeria’s experience with conflict and nation-building, Akpabio emphasised the central role of legislatures as “the first hope of the masses,” describing 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.
“It is time to turn from destruction to construction… and redirect the instruments of war toward the work of development”, he said.
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, noting that “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., he 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 conclusion, he called for a renewed global commitment, urging that this moment marked a turning point… a covenant not just with our people, but with posterity.
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.