Senate President Godswill Akpabio says lawmakers were elected to cooperate with the executive for the progress of Nigeria, not confront it.
Akpabio made the remarks in a feature documentary set to mark two years of the Bola Tinubu administration.
“When elected into the National Assembly, whether in the Senate or the House of Representatives, your constituents will not give you boxing gloves.
”It’s not a boxing tournament. You are there to work in a bipartisan manner for the interest of Nigeria,” Akpabio said.
“If you spend all your energy fighting the Executive, who will work for Nigeria?,” he asked.
Akpabio emphasised that the cordial relationship between the national assembly and the presidency over the past two years was rooted in a shared commitment to development.
He noted that the current administration was unique in Nigeria’s history, with a President, First Lady, and Vice President, all former senators.
The Senate President revealed that the National Assembly was working on a bill mandating Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to prioritise procuring locally assembled vehicles over imported alternatives.
“We have started the bill for enacting legislation to enable us first purchase automobiles from Nigerian companies before thinking of importing them.
””We lose billions of dollars annually importing vehicles and other items that can be produced locally, ” he said.
Akpabio underscored the urgent need to revive Nigeria’s manufacturing sector, citing the collapse of the textiles industry and cash crops, such as cotton, groundnut, and palm oil, which were once the bedrock of the economy.
He praised the “Nigeria First” policy championed by the Tinubu administration, describing it as a “fantastic” initiative that deserves legislative backing.
Akpabio called for more significant support for local entrepreneurs, noting that even small-scale production ventures such as vinegar or bread could thrive in Nigeria’s vast consumer market.
“Even if you produce vinegar and bag it well, it will fly. If you produce bread, you will be a millionaire considering the kind of population that we have,” he stated.
Regarding checks and balances, Akpabio refuted claims that the legislature was merely rubber-stamping executive decisions.
He noted that the National Assembly has occasionally rejected presidential nominees when necessary. “People forget that we have made enemies by rejecting some of the nominees that the President sent to us.
”It’s not everything the President brings that he takes back the same way,” he said.
Akpabio assured Nigerians that the 10th National Assembly would continue to prioritise pro-people legislation supporting the President’s bold reform agenda.
“This government is not a government of theory; it’s a government of action. So, for us in the National Assembly, we are very focused on pro-people legislation,” Akpabio stated.
He cited several landmark legislative interventions that align with the administration’s reforms, including the Student Loan Act (NELFUND), Tax reform bills, and the Minimum Wage Bill.
