What Nigeria Will Gain From My Election Into Executive Committee Of Inter-Parliamentary Union  – Akpabio

By Ayodele Oni

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio has highlighted what Nigeria stands to gain from his election into the Executive Committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

This is the first time Nigeria will sit again on the Committee since after 1964.

Speaking to newsmen on arrival from the Summit, which was held in the Angolan capital, Luanda, Akpabio said there is an enormous opportunity for Nigeria as his election would impact positively through the creation of employment and developmental opportunities for young Nigerians, who are seeking to become diplomats.

“A lot of employment opportunities would be created, a lot of offices would be opened; sub-national offices would be opened and a lot of young Nigerians who wish to be diplomats will have the opportunity of working there.

This will also attract foreign direct investments in the area of training and retraining and capacity building, not just for legislature but for people who are in different fields. The benefits are enormous, so we thank God for it.”

Akpabio pointed out that his election was a major political victory for the country as Nigeria had been missing at the decision-making table of the union for the past 59 years.

He said; “On the issues of the IPU, we went there and the delegation realized that Nigeria had not been at the table. Like the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives said, it was a joint delegation of both the Senate and the House of Representatives and he was the first to point out that.

“And when we looked at the decision makers of the IPU, we realized that the highest organ is the Executive Committee and Nigeria was last seen there in 1964.

Akpabio was elected by delegates across the world to emerge an executive committee member of the global parliamentary union for a three-year mandate.