Senate President Godswill Akpabio has urged legislatures across the globe to defend peace, justice and humanity as rising tensions test the resilience of nations.
Addressing delegates at the 152nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly, Akpabio drew on Nigeria’s lived experience with conflict to remind the gathering that “peace is not inherited; it is built, defended, and sustained.”
A statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, quoted Akpabio as describing parliaments as “the first hope of the masses” and “the conscience of the people.”
Warning that no region is exempt from instability – pointing to crises in the Middle East, Europe and Africa – he declared: “It is time to turn from destruction to construction… and redirect the instruments of war towards the work of development.”
The Senate President highlighted the profound human toll of conflict, stressing that casualty figures represent broken families and shattered communities. “This is not merely a crisis of security – it is a crisis of leadership,” he said. “Might must not be mistaken for right, and weakness must never justify injustice.”
Citing Martin Luther King Jr., Akpabio reminded delegates of humanity’s shared destiny and called for collective action. He urged the IPU to strengthen the United Nations and ensure vulnerable nations have a stronger voice on the global stage.
“Let this moment mark a turning point… a covenant not just with our people, but with posterity,” he said, adding that Nigeria stands ready to collaborate with the international community to secure a future defined by hope, peace and justice.
Earlier, IPU President Tulia Ackson – Speaker of Tanzania’s National Assembly – urged member parliaments to uphold their democratic responsibilities and act decisively on conflict and inequality, noting that the world expects not only laws from its legislatures, but leadership and moral clarity.
The IPU brings together national parliaments to advance peace, democracy and sustainable development through dialogue and parliamentary diplomacy.
