Senate President Godswill Akpabio has called on Nigerians to move beyond online commentary and actively engage their elected representatives, insisting that democracy can only thrive when citizens hold lawmakers to account.

Addressing senators at the resumption of plenary after a brief adjournment for committee work, Akpabio described the National Assembly as a “workshop of solutions” rather than a theatre for empty rhetoric. He argued that while social media amplifies public anger and emotion, it is the legislature that has the tools to turn those concerns into concrete action.

“The Senate is not merely a theatre of debate; it is a workshop of solutions,” he told his colleagues. “Where social media magnifies the noise of the moment, the Senate addresses the substance of the problem. Where the digital arena stirs emotion, the legislative process pursues resolution.”

He urged citizens to channel their frustrations and expectations directly to those they elected, saying representation only has meaning when people consistently demand results.

“I therefore encourage Nigerians everywhere: engage your representatives. Bring your concerns to those whom you have entrusted with the responsibility of speaking on your behalf. For it is through the instrument of representation that grievances are transformed into policy and concerns into action,” he said.

Akpabio reminded lawmakers that their mandate is rooted in a “living covenant” with the people, not in constitutional text alone. While the Senate had adjourned to allow committees to carry out oversight and technical work, he noted that “the life of a nation never pauses” and that the burdens of governance “do not take leave.”

He also underscored the significance of the national budget before the National Assembly, describing it as a “great ledger of national purpose” that reveals where the country chooses to invest its scarce resources. A budget, he said, is “more than figures on paper” but a declaration of national intention and a test of whether public funds truly uplift citizens.

With major issues such as the 2026 Appropriation Bill and constitutional amendments on the agenda, Akpabio challenged senators to confront Nigeria’s difficulties “with courage and determination,” ensure that resources strengthen institutions and expand opportunity, and place national interest above partisan divides.

“Let us debate with vigour but act with wisdom,” he concluded. “Let us differ in opinion but remain united in our duty to the Republic.”