Abuja
Akpabio: Lawmakers Not Elected To Fight Executive
Akpabio: Lawmakers Not Elected To Fight Executive
Akpabio: Lawmakers not elected to fight executive. The Senate president reflected on the importance of cooperation between the National Assembly and the executive.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio says lawmakers were not elected to engage in confrontation with the executive but to foster policies that promote national development.
Mr Akpabio said this in an upcoming documentary to mark two years of the Bola Tinubu administration, according to a statement by presidential aide Bayo Onanuga on Tuesday.
The Senate president reflected on the importance of cooperation between the National Assembly and the executive.
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.”
Mr Akpabio emphasised that the relationship between both arms of government had been cordial over the past two years, owing to a shared vision for the country’s progress.
“If you spend all your energy fighting the executive, who will work for Nigeria?” he asked.
He added that the current administration was unique in Nigeria’s history, with a president, First Lady, and vice president, all former senators.
Highlighting legislative priorities, Mr Akpabio said the National Assembly was working on a bill mandating ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to prioritise procuring locally assembled vehicles over imported alternatives.
“We have started the bill for enacting legislation to enable us 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.”
Mr Akpabio underscored the urgent need to revive Nigeria’s manufacturing sector, citing the collapse of the textiles industry and cash crops, such as cotton, groundnut and palm oil, which were once the bedrock of the economy.
“Over 50 textile companies have left Nigeria. The cotton industry collapsed. The groundnut industry collapsed. The palm oil industry collapsed. Look at countries like Malaysia that have leveraged palm oil to boost their economies,” he lamented.
Mr Akpabio praised the “Nigeria First” policy championed by the Tinubu administration, describing it as a “fantastic” initiative that deserved legislative backing.
He said discussions were ongoing with the Raw Materials Research and Development Council to promote laws ensuring Nigeria produced most of its consumption.
Mr Akpabio called for more support for local entrepreneurs, noting that even small-scale production ventures such as vinegar or bread could thrive in Nigeria’s vast consumer market.
He promised that the National Assembly would pass the necessary legal instruments to sustain this industrial renaissance and reduce the country’s import dependence.
Akpabio
Regarding checks and balances, Mr Akpabio refuted claims that the legislature was merely rubber-stamping executive decisions.
He noted that the National Assembly had occasionally rejected presidential nominees when necessary.
“People forget that we have made enemies by rejecting some of the nominees that the president sent to us. It’s not everything the president brings that he takes back the same way,” he said.
Mr Akpabio maintained that the assembly’s role was to scrutinise, amend, and support executive actions aligned with national interest.
“Our job is to make sure we cross the Ts and dot the I’s to assist the President in having the best for the Nigerian population,” said Mr Akpabio.
He assured Nigerians that the 10th National Assembly would continue prioritising pro-people legislation supporting the president’s bold reform agenda.
Obi, Amaechi, Others Meet In Abuja, Discuss Nigeria’s Democratic Future
Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation, on Saturday hosted Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), and other opposition leaders at his Abuja residence.
Victor Umeh, senator representing Anambra central, Achike Udenwa, former governor of Anambra; and Victor Oganku were also at the meeting.
TheCable understands that discussions by the politicians centred on strengthening the opposition front and Nigeria’s democratic future.
Amaechi, Obi and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar are members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and are eyeing the party’s presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 elections.
The former minister contested the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary and came second behind President Bola Tinubu, who won the party’s ticket.
In March, Bolaji Abdullahi, national publicity secretary of the ADC, said the party was working to adopt a consensus approach in selecting its presidential candidate for the 2027 poll.
Abdullahi said the party had the options of direct primaries and consensus for electing its presidential candidate, adding that indirect primaries were “no longer on the table”, as stipulated in the amended Electoral Act.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Friday, Amaechi said he has positioned himself as a viable contender for the next presidential race on the ADC platform.
Amaechi rejected the call for a consensus arrangement within the ADC ahead of the 2027 poll, insisting that aspirants must be allowed to test their popularity at the ballot.
Peter Obi
He said Nigerians are yearning for competent leadership to address economic hardship and insecurity.
The former governor of Rivers, however, said he would support Abubakar if the former vice-president emerges as the party’s standard-bearer for the 2027 presidential poll.
FG Warns Against Illegal Use Of Ambassador Title, Fake Diplomatic Identities
President Bola Tinubu-led federal government has warned against the rising abuse of diplomatic titles in Nigeria, particularly the illegal use of the designation “Ambassador” by unauthorised individuals and groups.
The warning was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, in Abuja.
“Some of the persons conferred illegally with the Ambassadorial titles unfortunately parade themselves as such in official communications and even in engagements with foreign embassies in Nigeria which has caused serious embarrassment to the federal government.
“The Ministry warns that individuals parading themselves as “Ambassadors” based on such deceitful conferment are engaging in impersonation, which is a criminal offence and therefore strongly cautions all persons involved in such illegalities or parading themselves as Ambassadors to desist forthwith,” the statement said.
The government also raised alarm over the use of fake diplomatic passports, identity cards, vehicle number plates, and other materials bearing the insignia of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by impostors.
Tinubu
According to the statement, some of those involved in the practice go as far as parading themselves as ambassadors in official correspondence and in dealings with foreign missions in Nigeria, a development it said has embarrassed the country.
It, however, stressed that only the president and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces has the constitutional authority to appoint and accredit ambassadors for Nigeria, adding that no individual, group, or organisation has the power to confer diplomatic titles.
NPF Debunks False Terror Alert In FCT, Arrests Suspect For Incitement
False terror alert in FCT,. The Nigeria Police Force wishes to categorically debunk a viral video circulating on social media alleging an ongoing terrorist attack in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. The Force states unequivocally that no such incident occurred, and the claims contained in the video are entirely false, misleading, and malicious.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the video was deliberately curated using misleading footage sourced from online platforms to construct a false narrative aimed at causing panic, inciting public fear, and undermining public confidence in the security architecture of the nation’s capital.
In furtherance of its commitment to maintaining public order, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested one Pam Joseph in connection with the creation and dissemination of the false content. The arrest followed credible intelligence and digital forensic investigations linking the suspect to the origin and circulation of the video.
The Force reiterates that while citizens have the right to freedom of expression, such rights do not extend to the deliberate spread of misinformation capable of threatening public peace and national security. Members of the public are therefore advised to verify information before sharing and to refrain from engaging in activities that may incite fear or disorder.
Police
The suspect is currently in custody and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The Nigeria Police Force remains committed to safeguarding public order and national security, and will continue to monitor digital spaces and take decisive action against individuals who engage in the dissemination of false or misleading information.
DCP ANTHONY OKON PLACID psc(+) mni
Force Public Relations Officer
Force Headquarters, Abuja
10th April, 2026
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