By George Ozalla
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has called on governments and parliaments across the world to strengthen public trust in democratic institutions by ensuring that citizens enjoy inclusive governance, equal opportunities and tangible improvements in their living conditions.
Akpabio made the call while addressing the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Arusha, Tanzania, where he led Nigeria’s delegation to the international parliamentary gathering held from October 4 to 9, 2026.
Speaking on the theme, “Inclusion, Trust and Opportunity,” the Senate President said democracy should not be judged by elections alone or by economic statistics that fail to reflect improvements in the lives of ordinary citizens.
He maintained that the true measure of democratic governance was the ability of children to access education, young people to secure employment and families to look to the future with confidence.
According to him, development loses its meaning when its benefits do not reach the people, stressing that governments must ensure that their policies and programmes translate into better living conditions for citizens.
Akpabio described public trust as essential to the survival and effectiveness of democratic institutions, noting that confidence in government could not be imposed on the people but must be earned through fairness, transparency and accountability.
He said every promise fulfilled by government helped to strengthen public confidence, just as listening to citizens brought government closer to the people.
The Senate President explained that the National Assembly had a responsibility to translate the aspirations and concerns of Nigerians into laws, policies and government action through legislation, representation, appropriation and oversight.
He described parliament as a bridge between the people and government, noting that lawmakers must give expression to the hopes of citizens, including those who might never have the opportunity to enter legislative chambers.
Akpabio also called for greater inclusion in governance, saying Nigeria’s ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious diversity should be treated as a source of strength rather than division.
He stressed that no Nigerian should feel like a stranger in the country and no community should be excluded from the nation’s development plans because of its size, location or background.
The Senate President further stated that inclusion must go beyond public declarations to ensure that citizens have meaningful opportunities to participate in governance and benefit from national development.
He told the gathering that the administration of President Bola Tinubu, working with the 10th National Assembly, was pursuing reforms intended to expand participation, create opportunities and bring development closer to communities.
Among the initiatives he highlighted were regional development institutions, tax reforms and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which he said were designed to address different challenges affecting citizens and improve access to opportunities.
He explained that regional development institutions were intended to bring development interventions closer to communities, while the tax reforms sought to establish a fairer system, reduce pressure on low-income earners and small businesses, and create a more supportive environment for enterprise.
On education, Akpabio pointed to NELFUND as an intervention providing eligible students with access to interest-free financing for higher education.
He said financial hardship should not prevent young Nigerians from pursuing their educational ambitions, adding that a person’s circumstances at birth should not determine the limits of their future.
Akpabio urged parliamentarians at the assembly to strengthen institutions that listen to citizens, promote responsive government and ensure that public authorities honour their commitments.
He called for a renewed commitment to turning inclusion into active participation, trust into partnership and opportunity into shared prosperity.
The Senate President also stressed that every community, including those in remote areas, should have a stake in national development and benefit from government policies.
He said democracy would become more meaningful when citizens could confidently say that they belonged, their voices were heard and their future mattered.
The 153rd IPU Assembly brought together parliamentarians from different countries to deliberate on inclusion, public trust and equal opportunities, with discussions focusing on the role of legislatures in addressing the needs of citizens and ensuring that no section of society is left out of development.
