Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said the National Assembly will continue to collaborate with President Bola Tinubu in advancing Nigeria’s national interest, stressing that the legislature has no constitutional obligation to create unnecessary confrontation with the executive.
Speaking on Tuesday while declaring the 2026 National Assembly Open Week open in Abuja, Akpabio said the parliament exists to serve Nigerians and should remain open, transparent and accessible to the citizens it represents.
He said the legislature belongs to Nigerians, not elected lawmakers, adding that democracy thrives when citizens actively participate in governance.
“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,” he said.
According to the Senate president, public trust in democratic institutions can only be sustained through openness, accountability and constructive engagement with citizens.
He noted that informed criticism strengthens democracy rather than weakens it, urging Nigerians to participate in public hearings, scrutinise legislative activities and hold lawmakers accountable.
“We invite Nigerians not merely to observe us but to engage with us, not merely to applaud where they agree but to challenge us where they believe we can do better. A parliament that listens becomes wiser. A democracy that listens becomes stronger,” he said.
Highlighting the achievements of the 10th National Assembly, Akpabio said lawmakers have passed more than 100 bills within their first three years in office, describing the milestone as unprecedented at this stage of Nigeria’s democratic development.
He listed key legislative accomplishments to include laws aimed at improving national security, returning out-of-school children to classrooms, reforming the tax system, approving a new national minimum wage, promoting investment and establishing regional development commissions.
Akpabio also said the National Assembly had carried out the screening and confirmation of public office holders in line with its constitutional responsibilities and noted that Nigeria recently regained a seat on the Executive Committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Union after nearly 60 years.
Defending the relationship between the legislature and the executive, the Senate President said working closely with President Tinubu should not be interpreted as a compromise of the National Assembly’s independence.
“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.
“Our constitutional duty is to support what advances the national interest, question what requires scrutiny and correct what demands improvement. That is the balance we have sought to maintain,” he said.
He also commended the cordial relationship between the Senate and the House of Representatives, describing the collaboration between both chambers over the past three years as one marked by mutual respect and harmony.
Akpabio urged Nigerians to take ownership of the parliament by engaging with its activities, saying democracy is strengthened when citizens actively participate in the legislative process.
He expressed optimism that the National Assembly Open Week would promote transparency, deepen public confidence and strengthen the relationship between parliament and the Nigerian people.
