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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria, Tajudeen Abbas, has emphasized the growing importance of parliamentary diplomacy as a tool for conflict prevention, democratic consolidation, and inclusive development.
Abbas, while addressing the the 3rd Annual General Assembly of the Conference of Speakers and Presidents of African Legislatures (CoSPAL), in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco, stated that legislative leadership in today’s world must go beyond law-making to strategic foresight.
The Speaker added that African parliaments must work to stabilize democracy in the continent , as well as serve as as vehicles for inclusive growth.
According to him, “Legislative leadership in today’s world must go beyond law-making to strategic foresight, institutional strength and collective African action. Our parliaments must serve as anchors of democratic stability and engines for inclusive growth in an increasingly complex global order.”
Femi Gbajabiamila, a former speaker of the House, as well as Founder and Pioneer Chairman of CoSPAL, said the parliamentary association was
created to provide a leadership platform for the growth of Africa.
Gbajbiamila, who is also the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, noted that “Africa needed a coordinated platform of legislative leaders capable of shaping regional and global conversations”.
He reaffirmed CoSPAL’s mission as “a pan-African legislative institution for deliberation, coordination, cooperation, and unified action.”
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The Secretary-General of CoSPAL, Amb. ’Dapo Oyewole, while presenting the organization’s progress update and 2026 work plan, stated that “African legislative leaders have collectively agreed on a forward-looking work programme that prioritises legislative leadership, capacity building, parliamentary diplomacy, strengthening institutional effectiveness and intentionally advancing women’s leadership, youth participation and social inclusion in parliamentary processes, structures and outputs.”
Oyewole expressed appreciation to the Kingdom of Morocco and the speaker of the House of Representatives, in the North African country, Rachid Talbi El Alami, for the hospitality and support in hosting the CoSPAL General Assembly for the first time in North Africa.
“This shared agenda reflects our resolve to translate high-level commitments into measurable outcomes that enhance legislative leadership and parliamentary diplomacy across the continent,” he stated.
He also expressed gratitude to the CoSPAL Chairman and Speaker of Ghanaian Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, Gbajabiamila and Abbas for their unwavering support and for being pillars that have sustained the growth and increasing success of the parliamentary union.
Bagbin, earlier in his address, underscored the urgency for African legislatures to rise beyond traditional parliamentary functions and assume a more strategic role in continental and global affairs.
According to him, “Africa can no longer confine its influence to the walls of its parliamentary chambers. We must step forward as strategic actors in shaping the direction of our continent and contributing meaningfully to the architecture of global governance.”
