President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has urged parliaments across the world to take a more active role in promoting peace, justice, and human dignity amid growing global tensions.
Akpabio made the appeal on Tuesday while addressing delegates at the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), held under the theme “Nurturing Hope, Securing Peace and Ensuring Justice for Future Generations.”
In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, the Senate President noted that the world is currently facing escalating conflicts that continue to test the strength of global institutions and the resilience of nations.
“I bring you warm greetings from the resilient people of Nigeria, a nation that has learned that peace is not inherited; it is built, defended, and sustained,” he said.
He stressed the importance of legislative institutions, describing them as the “first hope of the masses” and “the conscience of the people,” with a duty to uphold justice and accountability.
Akpabio warned that no region is immune to instability, citing ongoing crises in parts of Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, and called for a shift in global priorities toward peacebuilding and development.
“It is time to turn from destruction to construction…and redirect the instruments of war toward the work of development,” he said.
He further cautioned that global insecurity should not be viewed only in terms of military outcomes, but also in terms of human suffering, broken families, and displaced communities.
“This is not merely a crisis of security; it is a crisis of leadership. Might must not be mistaken for right, and weakness must never justify injustice,” he stated.
Quoting Martin Luther King Jr., Akpabio emphasised the shared destiny of humanity and called for stronger international cooperation.
He also urged the Inter-Parliamentary Union to play a more decisive role in strengthening global institutions, including the United Nations, and ensuring that vulnerable nations have a stronger voice in global decision-making.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s position, he said the country remains committed to working with the international community to build a world anchored on enduring peace, hope, and justice.
The President of the IPU, Tulia Ackson, also addressed the assembly, calling on member parliaments to uphold democratic values, strengthen solidarity, and respond more decisively to global conflicts and inequalities.
The Inter-Parliamentary Union is a global organisation of national parliaments that promotes democracy, peace, and sustainable development through dialogue and parliamentary cooperation.
