Akpabio Says Working With Tinubu Is Not Constitutional Surrender

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has defended the working relationship between the National Assembly and President Bola Tinubu, insisting that cooperation between the legislative and executive arms of government should not be interpreted as a surrender of the legislature's constitutional independence. He made the remarks while declaring open the 2026 National Assembly Open Week in Abuja.

Akpabio said the primary responsibility of the National Assembly is to promote Nigeria's national interest by supporting policies that benefit citizens, scrutinising government actions where necessary and correcting areas that require improvement. He stressed that lawmakers were not elected to create unnecessary conflict with the executive simply to demonstrate independence.

According to the Senate President, constructive engagement between the two arms of government is consistent with the Constitution and should not be mistaken for weakness. He stated, "Constructive partnership should never be mistaken for constitutional surrender," adding that Parliament does not prove its relevance by opposing government "for opposition's sake."

Akpabio also emphasised that the National Assembly belongs to Nigerians and should remain transparent, accountable and accessible to the public. He encouraged citizens to actively participate in legislative activities by attending public hearings, monitoring parliamentary proceedings and holding lawmakers accountable, noting that informed criticism strengthens democracy.

Highlighting the achievements of the 10th National Assembly, Akpabio said lawmakers have passed more than 100 bills within their first three years in office. He cited legislation on national security, education, tax reforms, the new national minimum wage, investment promotion and regional development commissions as examples of the Assembly's contributions to national development.