NYP Speaker congratulates Akpabio, Abbas, others, urges youth inclusion

The Nigerian Youth Parliament (NYP) has congratulated Senator Godswill Akpabio and Rt. Hon. Tajuddeen Abbas on their emergence as Senate President and Speaker of the 10th National Assembly, respectively.

The Parliament urged the new President of the Senate to include the Nigerian Youth Parliament in the Senate decision-making process.

The NYP equally congratulated Sen. George Akume and Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamilla on their appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chief of Staff to the President respectively. 

In a congratulatory message she personally signed and made available to newsmen, the Speaker of the Parliament, Dr Azeezat Yishawu, stated that the Nation at this crucial time needed a Parliament that would further improve on the legislative accomplishments of the 9th Assembly and work in people’s interest.

The NPA Speaker, therefore, urged Akpabio and the leadership of the 10th National Assembly to justify the confidence reposed in them, especially at a moment such as this one.

“With the full knowledge of Senator Godswill Akpabio’s partnership to the progress of the Nigerian Youth Parliament since the inception of the parliament in 2008 when he was Governor of Akwa Ibom and NYP produced Akwa Ibom born member as the Pioneer Speaker of the Parliament,” the statement partly reads.

She further noted that Akpabio remains a partner in progress to the successive session of the parliament since its inception up to date, “hoping that now that he’s the Chairman of the National Assembly, he will engage members of the Nigerian Youth Parliament more closely, especially in the decision-making process that affect young people in the country,” she said.

Yishawu also noted that the Parliament since its establishment remained a partner in progress with successive offices of the Speaker which resulted in the initiation of the Legislative Mentorship Initiative by Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila to intensify youth legislative training through engagement in the decision-making process, hoping that the new Speaker will continue the existing partnership. 

She disclosed that the process that produced the Leaders of the National Assembly was a free fair while describing them as the real leaders of their people for polling the highest number of votes against their rival with the widest margin.

Continuing, the Speaker also described the appointment of Sen. George Akume and Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as reassurance to Nigerians that the renewed hope is here by bringing the best brains that Nigerians can benefit from their vast experience. 

While canvassing for a pragmatic partnership with NYP, Yishawu added, “Young people need to be engaged in issues that affect them directly which is the reason for the establishment of the Nigerian Youth Parliament to ensure that young people contribute to the decision-making process and issues that age them in compliance with the saying that, ‘Nothing about us, without us’.

“It will be a very big achievement to engage the Nigerian Youth Parliament as a platform of that replica of the Nigerian Senate with 109 young people representing their Senatorial Districts. It will give the National Assembly a true picture of the real challenges and needs of young people in the country.”

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