President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, returned home after a brief vacation in London, Monday.
Akpabio, who led a Nigerian delegation to the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva between July 29 and 31, proceeded to London for vacation.
He arrived the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at 4am and was received at the Presidential Wing by senators, aides and Nigerians from different walks of life.
Fielding questions from journalists on arrival, Akpabio promised Nigerians robust legislative engagement on resumption.
He justified the presence of a strong Nigerian delegation at the International Parliamentary Union in Geneva, assuring of democratic governance and effective collaboration with the other arms of government.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that at the 148th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and Related Meetings, the Senate president maintained that parliamentary diplomacy is critical to achieving peace in the world and resolving conflicts.
Akpabio had called for more progress in parliamentary diplomacy, noting that though the Nigerian Parliament had explored the concept and achieved a myriad of successes, more could still be done.
He said the parliament in Nigeria had played a crucial role in curbing polarisation and ensuring peace through legislation.
Apart from the legislative function, he said parliament also “employs mediation to address conflicts between non-governmental organisations and government, as well as disputes involving labour unions.
Sharing the progress and initiatives of the 10th National Assembly under his leadership, he said, “It has become imperative for the world to recognise the power of the collective voice in shaping a better future for all, as it is in a critical juncture in history.
“We stand at a pivotal moment in history, an intersection where the choices we make and the words that we speak have the potential to positively shape the future of a world in constant crisis,” he said in his address at the assembly. NAN
