Akpabio Urges Nigerians to Channel Grievances through Their Representatives, Not Social Media

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

President of the Senate, Godswill Obot Akpabio, yesterday, urged Nigerians to channel their grievances and policy concerns through elected representatives rather than relying solely on social media.

He, however, said the National Assembly remained the proper institution for resolving national issues and translating public demands into policy.

Akpabio made the call in his address to senators at the resumption of plenary after a short legislative adjournment at the Senate.

In the speech titled: “Faith, Duty and the Voice of the People,” the Senate President said while social media had amplified public voices in the democratic space, solutions to national problems must ultimately come from the country’s democratic institutions.

“In this age of instantaneous communication, social media has expanded with astonishing speed. It has given voice to millions and enriched democratic conversation.

“Yet we must remind ourselves that while social media may raise an alarm, it is the institutions of democracy that must provide the remedy. The Senate is not merely a theatre of debate; it is a workshop of solutions,” Akpabio said.

According to him, while digital platforms often magnified emotions and immediate reactions, the legislative process focused on long-term solutions and policy responses capable of addressing citizens’ concerns.

“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 said.

Akpabio, therefore, encouraged citizens to actively engage their elected representatives in the National Assembly, noting that representation remains the cornerstone of democratic governance.

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