SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, HIS EXCELLENCY, (DR.) ABUBAKAR BUKOLA SARAKI, CON, AT THE 41ST CONFERENCE DINNER OF THE AFRICAN PARLIAMENTARY UNION (APU), HELD IN ABUJA ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2018.
PROTOCOL.
1. It is a special honour to host distinguished parliamentarians from all over Africa to this Dinner as part of the 41st Conference of the African Parliamentary Union (APU), which is holding here in Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja. We are delighted to be hosting this year’s Conference as well as the 73rd Executive Committee Session. You might say that we are setting the stage for greater and better cooperation between African parliamentarians for the good of Africa and her peoples. We are very proud of this.
2. Evidently, very robust deliberations are ongoing during Conference sessions regarding the many serious issues affecting our continent, with a view to seeing how we might use the lawmaking function to alleviate them. I am therefore confident that the theme of the Conference – ‘The Role of Parliaments in the Fight Against Terrorism, Armed Gangs and Organised Crime in Africa’ – is already receiving the needed attention from delegates, particularly with regard to how African parliaments can better collaborate and cooperate to address the challenges arising therefrom.
3. Tomorrow morning, the serious debates will continue. But tonight, a little light music will not go amiss. We have conceptualised this dinner as a taster of our uniquely Nigerian hospitality, art and culture, cuisine, our songs and dances, for your enjoyment. Hopefully, the ambient character of these proceedings should also set the right atmosphere for the closer collaboration and cooperation that we are seeking. From the conversations here at the dinner table, we get to know ourselves and our countries better, and this informs our roles as parliamentarians working to devise Africa-wide solutions through the legislative instrument.
4. That said, fellow Parliamentarians, I am sure you knew that I was not going to step away from the microphone without sneaking in a few well-aimed boasts about our country Nigeria – all with a serious intent, of course. Let me say again that we are very happy that Nigeria is hosting the APU Conference this time round, and we do think that this is most appropriate. Why, you might ask? Well, we believe that Nigeria is the leading democratic nation in Africa, and so we have a very real stake in the democratic process, especially as it affects the legislature.
5. We are also aware of the many challenges confronting the legislature across Africa. Nigeria is certainly no exception in this regard. This is further complicated by the fact that a good number of people do not understand, or sufficiently appreciate, the role of the legislature. Some might say that this is not altogether surprising; after all, this is a country that operated without a legislature during the many years of military dictatorship. In addition to the many factors militating against the legislative function, the misapprehension as to our role, plays a considerable part.
6. Nevertheless, we as parliamentarians must not relent. We must persist in fulfilling our role; and we must seek collaboration not only with other African parliaments but also with other arms of government in our various countries. I therefore appeal to you all: we cannot afford to tire or tarry in our efforts in seeking these collaborations as part of the legislative endeavour.
7. As you all know, good governance involves mutual collaboration and respect, and this is what we must strive to achieve, in tackling the issues highlighted by the theme of the Conference, and other problems confronting our societies.
8. The sobering reality is that, despite the great advances being made by countries across the continent, Africa is still under-developing. This presents a conundrum for us as parliamentarians, and it is imperative that we do our very best to reverse the trend, while exploring all avenues available for us to do so, particularly through the instrument of the APU. The solutions to Africa’s problems lie in collaboration and cooperation across all arms of government, for progress to be made.
9. These are some of the issues I would want us to mull over as we converse across the dinner table tonight. I firmly believe that the problems can be overcome, if we are strong in our resolve. I hope this offers some reassurance, as we return to the Conference table tomorrow morning, revitalised and fired up for the work ahead.
10. Thank you for listening. Have a wonderful evening.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
