Lawmakers elected to serve, not fight executive – Akpabio

By Kunle Sanni

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has stated that lawmakers were not elected to confront the Executive arm of government but to work collaboratively for Nigeria’s development.

Akpabio made the remarks in an upcoming documentary commemorating President Bola Tinubu’s second year in office.

Reflecting on the role of legislators, he said: “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.”

The Senate President emphasized that the relationship between the National Assembly and the Executive has been largely cordial over the past two years, describing it as a joint effort to move the country forward.

“If you spend all your energy fighting the Executive, who will work for Nigeria?” he asked.

Akpabio also highlighted the unique composition of the current administration, noting that President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu all have backgrounds in the Senate—an experience that has fostered synergy between both arms of government.

He pointed to legislative efforts to boost the local economy, including a bill requiring Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to prioritize the purchase of locally assembled vehicles.

“We have started the bill for enacting legislation to enable us to first purchase automobiles from Nigerian companies before thinking of importing them,” he said. “We lose billions of dollars annually importing vehicles and other items that can be produced locally.”