Nigerian Senate President Godswill Akpabio has urged lawmakers worldwide to collaborate for global peace, justice, and a shared future. The Senate President made this call while speaking at the ongoing 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments hosted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union IPU in collaboration with the United Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland, today, where he
Nigerian Senate President Godswill Akpabio has urged lawmakers worldwide to collaborate for global peace, justice, and a shared future.
The Senate President made this call while speaking at the ongoing 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments hosted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union IPU in collaboration with the United Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland, today, where he called on the parliamentarians across the world to commit to the pursuit of solutions without partisanship and bias.
The 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, held from July 21 to July 31, 2025, brought together top legislators and leaders from international organisations, civil society, and the media to promote parliamentary cooperation and multilateralism for peace, justice, and prosperity.
Senator Akpabio, who spoke on the theme “A World in Turmoil: Multilateralism for Peace, Justice and Prosperity for All”, said the lawmakers in Nigeria have been working to secure the future of the country and to rebuild trust in the country’s governance and electioneering processes.
“In parliament, we are legislating to secure the future. In partnership with the Executive, we have passed laws to confront insecurity and rebuild trust: the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Act, the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, the Out-of-School Children Education Act, etc.
“I bring you greetings from the Senate and the resilient people of Nigeria. I come from a nation that has endured fire and risen from ashes. A nation that finds clarity in confusion and keeps sailing through storms and rough weather.
“This conference, ‘A World in Turmoil: Multilateralism for Peace, Justice and Prosperity for All’—meets the moment. Across the globe, conflict drowns out the songs of peace. War consumes not only homes but also the hopes of families. And while science surges, millions—especially in developing nations—remain trapped in cycles of fear and want.
“With the world now a global village, these are not distant crises. I urge affected nations not to surrender to despair. We in the Nigerian Senate have chosen to legislate in the storm, reform in the furnace, and lead with courage.
“We face armed conflict, climate disruption, and youth disillusionment. Terrorists exploit poverty and displacement. Farmer-herder clashes and small arms proliferation threaten our unity. But we are not defined by what we face, but by how we rise. In the furnace of turmoil, we are becoming stronger, wiser, and more determined to build a greater nation”.
“We are investing in innovation, through a 10-year National Digital Strategy, to equip our youth to bridge the divide. Through the Start-Up Act, expanded credit access, and digital training, we unlock potential long caged by poverty.
“We are also advancing inclusion. The Not Too Young To Run Act was a summons to a new generation. Women and persons with disabilities are no longer on the margins. And legislation is underway to institutionalise gender quotas—because inclusion, not exclusion, must be our standard.
“We have devised strategies to fight poverty: education loans, vocational training, tax reforms for the vulnerable, and cash transfers to the poorest households—all aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals”.
He further noted that “multilateralism must not be merely rhetoric.” It must rise as a movement of resolve. The Nigerian Parliament believes in international solidarity as a shared responsibility. For humanity is a single tapestry, and when one corner is torn by conflict or injustice, the whole fabric is weakened.
“Let us therefore stand in partnership, committed to peace, justice, and shared destiny. We must not simply convene; we must command. Let us bind our futures not only in treaties, but in tenacity and remain paragons of purpose.
“As parliamentarians, let us commit to collaboration and the courageous pursuit of solutions that transcend borders and partisan divides.”
