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• Calls for urgent legislative action, constitutional reforms to strengthen democracy
From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has raised the alarm over rising hunger, insecurity and economic hardship confronting Nigerians.
In his welcome address to senators at the resumption yesterday, Akpabio said the realities across the country, from banditry and terrorism to soaring food prices and natural disasters, demand urgent and coordinated action by both federal and state governments.
He lamented that over 33 million Nigerians currently face acute food insecurity, describing the situation as a crisis demanding urgent legislative attention.
“Let us hear the cry from the farms and the markets across the nation. Hunger cannot be defeated with words. Hunger requires policy direction and diligent execution to defeat it. Our people do not look to us for lamentations, that is not why they voted for us. They look to us for action.
“Every home afflicted by disasters, insecurity, hunger and hardship, the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria hereby extends to them the hand of fellowship and the prayer of comfort. We promise them that we shall not flinch from the duty of redress for our people in this country,” he said.
Akpabio also decried the persistent wave of insecurity and other incidents across the country, citing recent tragedies that occurred while the Senate was in recess.
He mourned victims of the boat mishap on the River Niger in Kogi State, the bloody attack on a mosque in Katsina State, and the 12 forest guards slain in Oke-Odu, Kwara State, describing them as “martyrs of service who remind us that insecurity knows no boundaries and no religion.
“Our country has walked through both shadow and sunshine. Many families have grieved for losing their loved ones. We must, therefore, partner with the executive arm of government so that together we can rewrite the story of our nation for generations to come.”
The Senate President also expressed concern over the recent floods that ravaged Bayelsa, Sokoto and Zamfara states, calling for urgent coordination between the federal and sub-national governments to mitigate the devastations before they become annual calamities.
Speaking further, he called for accountability and legislative urgency from the government officials, saying while there have been glimmers of progress, particularly with the country’s oil production rising to about 1.8 million barrels per day, Nigeria must turn its recent fiscal gains into long-term benefits.
He emphasised that the Senate would continue to wield its oversight powers with vigilance to ensure that public funds are used for the people’s benefit.
“Where policies tend to imperil them, we shall speak out on their behalf. Accountability is the lifeblood of democracy, and those who seek to weaken the legislature intrude upon the very structure of democracy itself.
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“No state government today is borrowing money to pay salaries,” he noted, commending the Tinubu administration for stabilising subnational finances. “But we must ensure this blessing does not become another fleeting windfall, it must be a foundation for fiscal discipline, infrastructural renewal and job creation.”
He charged senators to legislate with boldness and urgency, especially in sectors such as agriculture, rural roads, education, healthcare and youth empowerment.
“The cost of living weighs upon families like iron chains. The flickering of our national grid leaves cities in darkness and commerce in paralysis. These trials summon us to service of uncommon urgency,” he said.
Akpabio reaffirmed the Senate’s commitment to constitutional review, saying that a credible amendment process remains crucial for strengthening Nigeria’s democracy and promoting good governance.
“We must revisit the constitutional amendment, the alterations to make our federation stronger, our governance more efficient and our democracy much more inclusive,” he declared.
Turning his attention to the approaching election season, Akpabio urged Nigerians to treat their right to vote as a sacred duty and to choose leaders based on competence and integrity rather than noise or spectacle.
“Leadership is not a carnival and governance is not a stage for theatrics. Let no one mistake the nation’s destiny for a costume drama, or confuse applause with achievement.
“If our politics must be mended, let it begin with the courage to choose the right men and women of integrity, tested virtue, proven competence and sincere devotion to service,” he said.
He cautioned against electing individuals who view public office as an ornament rather than a burden of duty, stressing that democracy can only flourish when citizens vote not for the loudest voice but for the wisest heads.
“The foundation of every democracy is its legislature,” Akpabio said. “We must uphold the majesty of our Constitution and the dignity of this chamber. We, in the 10th Senate, hear the people. They ask us not for excuses but for results, not for noise, but for substance.”
He, therefore, urged his colleagues to return to legislative business with renewed vigour and resolve.
“Let this Senate be remembered as an instrument of national transformation and a citadel of democracy that brought hope to our nation,” he said.”
