The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has called on Nigerians to lend their support to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which is aimed at positioning Nigeria as a leading nation in Africa.

Akpabio made this appeal during the Seventh convocation of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS)/University of Benin, held in Abuja on Monday. Represented by Sani Musa, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Akpabio emphasized that the Renewed Hope Agenda is intended to rejuvenate Nigeria and restore its former glory.

He reminisced about Nigeria’s past when it was the world’s largest producer of cocoa, palm produce, groundnuts, and other resources. The country had iconic symbols of prosperity, such as groundnut pyramids in the north, cocoa houses in the west, and palm plantations in the east. Akpabio stressed that returning to agricultural production, in addition to revenue from oil, could significantly boost the country’s income.

Akpabio also noted that the government had been spending more than its revenue, which was detrimental to the nation. He underscored that this was one of the reasons behind the removal of petroleum subsidies, as excessive spending led to unfavorable options like raising taxes, printing more money, or borrowing. He commended the commitment of the Bola Tinubu administration to increase revenue generation and effectively manage expenditure.

Akpabio expressed his belief in Nigeria’s potential to become a leading nation in Africa and the world, and he urged all Nigerians to rally behind the Renewed Hope Agenda. He encouraged citizens to transcend doubt, unite, and work together to realize the vision of a prosperous Nigeria.

Addressing the graduands, Akpabio emphasized the need for individuals with faith in the Nigerian project who could actively support the Renewed Hope Agenda and respond to the nation’s call.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, announced that the House was preparing to unveil its Legislative Agenda, which includes a strong commitment to the development and reform of the education sector. Recognizing the importance of education for national development, the House plans to introduce a bill to regulate Artificial Intelligence (AI) to maximize its benefits in education.

Abbas emphasized the need to update school curricula to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world, with technological and scientific innovations, including AI, offering unprecedented opportunities. He pledged to introduce a bill to regulate AI, ensuring favorable conditions for its development and use in Nigeria.

The Director-General of the Institute, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, highlighted the 81 graduands across six programs and emphasized the Institute’s commitment to providing intellectual support services to the legislature to deepen democracy.

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin, Prof. Lilian Salami, encouraged the graduands to be excellent ambassadors of the university and the institute, making significant contributions to nation building on a global scale.

The event’s highlight was the confirmation of awards and the induction of notable figures, including Sen. Ahmed Lawan, former Senate President, and Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, as fellows of the institute, among others.