Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said the election of any politician should not lead to the spilling of the blood of another citizen.
He urged lawmakers to return to their duties with ‘steady hands’ as the chamber resumed plenary from recess.
The Senate President warned that the ongoing build-up to the 2027 general election must not compromise national unity or public safety.
Delivering his welcome address at the first sitting since July, Akpabio struck a sober tone, acknowledging the pain of families whose relatives remain in the hands of kidnappers, as well as communities devastated by floods and rising cost of living.
‘During our recess, families have waited in anguish for their loved ones taken by armed men. Communities have lived beneath the shadow of violence. Floodwaters have washed away homes and livelihoods,’ he said.
‘To those who mourn, to those who wait, and to those who have been driven from their homes, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria hereby offers our sympathies. But sympathies alone cannot discharge our duties,’ he added.
The Senate President noted that insecurity remained a collective burden that the legislature must confront through robust oversight, legislation and appropriation.
‘So long as good Nigerians remain in captivity, a part of Nigeria is held captive. This Chamber cannot call itself free of that burden,’ Akpabio said. ‘We call upon our security agencies to pursue the rescue of captives and the protection of vulnerable communities with renewed vigour.’
He called attention to the intensifying political campaigns, urging all participants to shun violence, intimidation and misinformation, including the emerging threat of artificial intelligence-manipulated content.
‘Let the contest be vigorous. Let it be open. And let every participant remember that this is a country that must live together when the elections are over,’ he said.
‘No electoral prize is worth a Nigerian’s life. No victory deserves celebration if it leaves the nation deeply wounded. We must also watch out for AI-manipulated campaigns.’
Akpabio reminded senators that their mandate runs to the end, irrespective of electioneering activities.
‘The people sent us here to serve until the end of our mandate. There is work before us, and we shall remain at our post in spite of the various campaigns across the nation,’ he said.
The Senate President linked patriotism to clear-eyed realism and steadfastness.
‘Patriotism requires clear eyes and a steadfast heart: clear eyes to see our difficulties, courage to confront them, and steadfastness to keep building Nigeria in unity,’ he said.
Looking ahead to Nigeria’s 66th Independence anniversary, he said: ‘We shall honour those who believed that this vast and varied land could govern itself and shape its destiny.
‘We honour them most faithfully when we guard the freedom they secured and use it to enlarge the prospects of those who come after us.’
Akpabio added: ‘Let us campaign with honour, debate with conviction, and serve with humility. We have returned to this Chamber because Nigeria’s work continues.’
The address was followed by a minute’s silence in memory of Dr. Adamu Fika, a former National Assembly’s Director-General and Clerk of the Senate, who died on August 6.