Senate President insists cooperation with executive is about national interest, not constitutional capitulation
ABUJA, Nigeria Senate President Godswill Akpabio has declared that the National Assembly’s constructive partnership with President Bola Tinubu should never be mistaken for “constitutional surrender,” as he opened the 2026 National Assembly Open Week in Abuja on Tuesday.
In a robust defense of the legislature’s relationship with the executive, Akpabio emphasized that parliamentary independence is not proven through manufactured conflict or opposition for opposition’s sake.
“Constructive partnership should never be mistaken for constitutional surrender. Parliament does not prove its independence by manufacturing conflict, nor its relevance by opposing for opposition’s sake,” Akpabio stated.
“Our constitutional duty is to support what advances the national interest, to question what requires scrutiny, and to correct what demands improvement. That is the balance we have sought to maintain, and history, I believe, will judge it fairly.”
‘Parliament Belongs to the People’
Addressing citizens directly, the Senate President stressed that the National Assembly exists to serve Nigerians, not lawmakers themselves.
“These walls were never meant to keep Nigerians out. They were built to welcome them in not merely as spectators of democracy, but as its rightful owners,” Akpabio said.
“Parliament belongs not to those elected to sit within it, but to the millions whose hopes and votes brought it into existence.”
He urged Nigerians to actively engage with the legislature by attending public hearings, scrutinizing legislation, and holding their representatives accountable.
“Public confidence is earned not by asking citizens to trust institutions blindly, but by embracing transparency and accountability. Parliament should never fear informed criticism. Questions strengthen democracy. Transparency strengthens legitimacy.”
Unprecedented Legislative Output
Akpabio revealed that the 10th National Assembly has passed more than 100 bills in its first three years a feat he described as unprecedented at this stage of Nigeria’s democratic journey.
Key legislative achievements include:
· Laws strengthening national security
· Measures to return out-of-school children to classrooms
· Modernization of Nigeria’s tax system
· Approval of a new national minimum wage
· Establishment of regional development commissions
· Stimulation of investment through various reforms
International Recognition
The Senate President also announced that Nigeria has regained a seat on the executive committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Union after nearly six decades — a development he called a sign of renewed international confidence in the country’s democratic institutions.
Uncommon Harmony
Akpabio noted that the Senate and House of Representatives have worked with “uncommon harmony and mutual respect” over the past three years.
He concluded by inviting Nigerians to take ownership of the legislature:
“Whether you are with us today, following these proceedings online, listening on radio, watching on television, or gathered beneath a mango tree in a village square, this parliament belongs to you.
“Come closer. Attend our public hearings. Read the laws we make. Question us. Challenge us. Encourage us. Democracy flourishes when citizens remain active participants in the work of self-government.
“The true measure of parliament is not the height of its walls, but the depth of its people’s confidence.”
