N’assembly will remain frank, firm with executive, says Akpabio

Senate President Godswill Akpabio says the national assembly will maintain a “frank and firm” relationship with the executive arm of government.

Speaking on Tuesday as the senate resumed plenary after its recess, Akpabio said the legislature must rise above theatrics and commit to delivering purposeful governance, describing leadership as a responsibility that demands integrity and substance, not performance.

“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, nor confuse applause with achievement,” he said.

The senate president said lawmakers must legislate with courage and wisdom, ensuring that their decisions uplift citizens rather than serve political grandstanding.

“Our relations with the executive shall remain frank and firm — neither obsequious nor obstructive. Where policies raise our people, we shall lend our strength; where they imperil them, we shall speak on their behalf,” Akpabio said.

Akpabio also used the occasion to congratulate President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians on the country’s 65th independence anniversary, describing the nation’s journey as “a relay — one generation handing the torch of faith and sacrifice to the next”.

He extended condolences to families affected by recent tragedies, including the boat mishap in Kogi state, the mosque attack in Katsina, and the killing of forest guards in Kwara state.

The senate president also sympathised with victims of flooding across Bayelsa, Sokoto, Zamfara and other states, urging collaboration between federal and state governments to prevent a recurrence.

While acknowledging the challenges confronting the country, Akpabio expressed optimism about signs of progress, citing the rise in oil production to 1.8 million barrels per day.

“We must ensure that this blessing does not become another fleeting windfall, but a foundation for fiscal discipline, infrastructure renewal, and job creation,” he said.

He further raised concerns about growing food insecurity, noting that more than 33 million Nigerians currently face hunger.

“Hunger cannot be defeated with words; it requires policy, budget, and will,” Akpabio said, urging lawmakers to prioritise agriculture, mechanisation, and rural development.

The senate president emphasised that the legislature remains central to the nation’s democracy and must guard its independence with vigilance.

“The foundation of every democracy is its legislature. Those who seek to weaken the legislature, in truth, seek to wreck the substructure of democracy itself,” he said.

Akpabio urged senators to return to legislative duties with renewed zeal and a clear sense of purpose.

“Let this senate be remembered as an instrument of national transformation, a citadel of democracy, and a beacon of hope,” he added.