President of the Nigerian Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly, Godswill Akpabio, has called for stronger inclusion, trust and equal opportunities as essential pillars for building effective and people-centred democracies.
Akpabio made the call on Tuesday while addressing the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Arusha, Tanzania.
The five-day assembly, which began on October 5, is bringing together lawmakers and parliamentary leaders from around the world to deliberate on good governance, democracy and community empowerment. Its central theme is “Enhancing good governance and empowering communities through inclusivity, trust and opportunities for all.”
Speaking on the theme “Inclusion, Trust and Opportunity,” Akpabio said democracy must go beyond elections and development beyond economic statistics, stressing that the real measure of governance should be its impact on ordinary citizens.
He said: “Their true measure is the child who can attend school, the young person who can find work, and the family that can face tomorrow with confidence. If progress is not seen in our people, our work is not finished.”
According to him, trust remains central to the survival and effectiveness of democratic institutions, noting that it could not be imposed through legislation or political authority.
“Trust is the invisible currency of democracy. We cannot command it, demand it or legislate it into existence. We earn it through fairness, transparency and accountability,” he said.
Akpabio said every fulfilled promise strengthens citizens’ confidence in government, while listening to citizens brings democratic institutions closer to the people.
He explained that Nigeria’s National Assembly exercises its democratic responsibilities through legislation, representation, appropriation and oversight, serving as a channel through which citizens’ concerns are brought into government decision-making.
“Parliament is a bridge over which the hopes of ordinary people travel into the decisions of government,” he said.
The Senate President also described Nigeria’s diversity of peoples, languages, cultures and faiths as a strength, insisting that inclusion must remain both a national responsibility and a democratic necessity.
“Our many peoples, languages, cultures and faiths are sources of strength. No citizen should be a stranger in his own country, and no community should stand at the margins of our common future,” he stated.
Akpabio, who is leading Nigeria’s delegation to the IPU assembly, also highlighted reforms being pursued by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration in collaboration with the 10th National Assembly, saying they were designed to expand participation and create greater opportunities.
He pointed to expanded regional development institutions as part of efforts to bring development closer to communities and respond more directly to local needs.
He also cited tax reforms aimed at creating a fairer tax system, reducing burdens on low-income earners and small businesses, and strengthening enterprise.
On education, Akpabio highlighted the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), through which eligible students can access interest-free financing for higher education.
He said the initiative reflected the principle that economic circumstances should not determine the limits of a young person’s future.
“Poverty must never have the final word on a young person’s potential. The circumstances of birth must not become the boundaries of destiny,” he said.
The Senate President urged parliamentarians attending the global gathering to renew their commitment to building institutions that listen to citizens, governments that serve the people and democratic systems that maintain public trust.
He called for inclusion to be translated into meaningful participation, trust into partnership and opportunity into shared prosperity.
