Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said the success of democracy in Nigeria should be measured by its impact on ordinary citizens, including access to education, jobs and economic opportunities.
Akpabio made the submission on Tuesday while addressing the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Arusha, Tanzania.
Speaking on the theme, “Inclusion, Trust and Opportunity,” Akpabio said democracy must go beyond elections, while development must be reflected in the daily lives of citizens.
“For Nigeria, democracy means more than elections, and development more than impressive statistics,” he said.
According to him, the real test of progress was whether children could attend school, young people could find jobs and families could face the future with confidence.
“If progress is not seen in the people, then our work is not finished,” he said.
Akpabio, who is also chairman of the National Assembly, said the legislature had a responsibility to translate citizens’ needs into policies through lawmaking, representation, appropriation and oversight.
He described Parliament as a bridge through which the hopes and concerns of ordinary citizens could reach government decision-making.
The Senate President said Nigeria’s diversity made inclusion both a national responsibility and a democratic necessity.
He said the Federal Government, in partnership with the 10th National Assembly under President Bola Tinubu, was pursuing reforms aimed at widening participation and creating more opportunities.
Akpabio cited the expansion of regional development institutions as part of efforts to bring development closer to communities, while tax reforms were designed to make the system fairer, reduce pressure on low-income earners and small businesses, and strengthen enterprise.
He said building trust in democratic institutions required government and Parliament to ensure that reforms produced tangible improvements in the lives of citizens.
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