Senate President Godswill Akpabio emphasized that lawmakers were elected to collaborate with the Executive, not to engage in conflict, with the goal of advancing Nigeria’s progress.

He made these remarks in a feature documentary commemorating the two-year anniversary of the Bola Tinubu administration.

In a statement by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Akpabio reiterated that legislators are tasked with making laws that serve the nation’s interests, rather than acting as political adversaries.

“When elected to 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,” Akpabio said.

Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President, attributed the smooth cooperation between the Executive and the National Assembly over the past two years to a shared national vision and a unified commitment to advancing Nigeria's development.

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

He highlighted that the current administration is unique in Nigeria's history, with the President, Vice President, and First Lady all being former senators—an alignment he said has significantly enhanced mutual understanding and collaboration between the Executive and the Legislature.

“We have started the bill for enacting legislation to enable us first purchase automobiles from Nigerian companies before thinking of importing them,” he said.

He stated that Nigeria loses billions of dollars each year due to the importation of vehicles and other goods that could be manufactured locally.

He attributed the decline of vital sectors—including textiles, cotton, groundnuts, and palm oil—to the nation’s heavy dependence on imports. He further pointed out that countries like Malaysia have achieved economic success by harnessing resources such as palm oil, which Nigeria has failed to fully capitalize on.

“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 said.

Akpabio praised the Tinubu administration’s “Nigeria First” policy and described it as a “fantastic” initiative that deserves full legislative support.

He disclosed that consultations are ongoing with the Raw Materials Research and Development Council to draft laws aimed at boosting local production.

“We are going to make laws and produce bills that ensure almost every item we consume that can be produced in Nigeria is produced in Nigeria.

“Taking Nigeria First means bringing industries back to the country to serve our population of over 200 million,” he said.

The Senate President also called for more support for local entrepreneurs, adding that Nigeria’s large consumer base makes small-scale businesses potentially profitable.

“Even if you produce vinegar and bag it well, it will fly. If you produce bread, you will be a millionaire considering the kind of population that we have,” Akpabio stated.

He rejected claims that the legislature under his leadership functions as a rubber stamp for the Executive.

He emphasized that the Senate has, at times, declined some of President Tinubu’s nominees and made adjustments to proposals that did not serve the public interest.

“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.

He added that the National Assembly scrutinises every bill from the Executive and works to ensure each one meets the realities and needs of Nigerians.

“Our job is to make sure we cross the T’s and dot the I’s to assist the President in having the best for the Nigerian population,” he said.

Akpabio assured all that the 10th National Assembly will continue to prioritise legislation that improves the quality of life of citizens and supports the President’s reform agenda.

“This government is not a government of theory; it’s a government of action. So, for us in the National Assembly, we are very focused on pro-people legislation,” he said.

He cited landmark bills such as the Student Loan Act, Tax Reform Bills, and the Minimum Wage Bill as examples of the Assembly’s achievements so far.

“We have done quite a lot in just two years. I assure Nigerians that more people-focused laws are coming: laws that will reduce hardship, open the economy, and empower young people,” Akpabio said.

He added, “From the perspective of the National Assembly, we have scrutinised almost every bill that the President has brought. We have aligned it with the Nigerian people’s realities and needs and supported it by ensuring they are speedily passed.

“We don’t waste time on anything that will enhance the living standard of Nigerians.”