AKPABIO LAUNCHES NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OPEN WEEK, CALLS FOR GREATER TRANSPARENCY AND CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT

AKPABIO LAUNCHES NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OPEN WEEK, CALLS FOR GREATER TRANSPARENCY AND CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT

The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, on Tuesday declared open the National Assembly Open Week at the House of Representatives Chamber, Abuja.

The week-long event is designed as a direct interface between lawmakers and the public, aimed at showcasing the legislature’s commitment to openness, restoring public confidence, and drawing citizens, civil society, and the private sector into the work of the 10th National Assembly.

Delivering the keynote address, Akpabio said the initiative goes beyond ceremony. It is about redefining the relationship between the people and their representatives.

“We are assembled today for something far greater than either Chamber,” Akpabio stated. “Parliament belongs not to those elected to sit within it, but to the millions whose hopes and votes brought it into existence.”

The Senate President stressed that the legislature was conceived not as an exclusive institution, but as a house open to the people.

“Parliament was never built to keep the people out. It was built to bring them in, for democracy flourishes only in the confidence of an informed and engaged citizenry,” he said.

He described the Open Week as an opportunity for Nigerians to look past headlines and political noise to understand the real work of lawmaking.

“This Open Week invites Nigerians to see Parliament as the meeting point between the aspirations of the people and the responsibilities of government,” Akpabio noted.

“For this is not merely a matter of public education; it is a matter of democratic necessity. History teaches us that great nations are sustained not merely by strong executives or independent judiciaries, but by Parliaments where differing opinions are heard, competing interests are reconciled, and every citizen ultimately finds constitutional expression.”

Akpabio further said transparency must translate into inclusion.
“Openness therefore means more than allowing citizens to observe proceedings. It means assuring every Nigerian that no community is too remote, no voice too quiet, and no corner of this Republic too insignificant to deserve representation,” he added.

Calling for active participation, he urged Nigerians not to be passive observers.
“That is why this Open Week is so important. We invite Nigerians not merely to observe us, but to engage with us; not merely to applaud where they agree, but to challenge us where they believe we can do better. A Parliament that listens becomes wiser. A democracy that listens becomes stronger.”

Also speaking, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, said the initiative was borne out of the belief that public trust is earned through accessibility and accountability.

“An open, listening parliament is essential for earning public trust and strengthening our public institutions,” Abbas said. “The 10th Assembly is determined to govern with the people, not above them.”

The 3-day Open Week will feature town-hall sessions, policy dialogues, exhibitions, and interactive panels. Key engagements are expected to bridge the gap between citizens, the private sector, and policymakers, and to provide feedback channels on pending bills and oversight activities.

The event marks one of the most extensive public-outreach efforts by the National Assembly in recent years.