President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on Sunday, declared that prayer, not politics alone, secured Nigeria’s democracy and warned that only faithfulness and unity can sustain it, as the country marks 27 years of uninterrupted civilian rule.
Akpabio, who made the declaration while speaking at an Inter-Denominational Service to mark Democracy Day 2026, said Nigeria’s return to democracy was “providence,” recalling how the Nigeria Prays Movement, led by General Yakubu Gowon, preceded the end of military rule.
“There was a time when uncertainty clouded our future and hope seemed distant. While politics has its place, some battles require prayer. Three years later, democracy returned. Some call it coincidence. We know it was providence,” he stated.
He paid tribute to the Church for “standing in the gap” during that era and now, describing it as “the salt of the earth and a light upon a hill.” Quoting 2 Chronicles 7:14, he added: “The healing of a nation begins when its people return to God. Prayer helped secure democracy. Prayer will help preserve it. What faith obtained, only faithfulness can sustain.”
Akpabio said President Bola Tinubu directed a low-key Democracy Day this year out of “empathy for the burdens many Nigerians bear,” acknowledging that “the pains of reform weigh heavily on families.”
“Yet every mother endures labour because she knows that joy awaits on the other side. So must we endure — with faith, patience, and hope,” he admonished.
The President of the Senate also addressed rising insecurity, noting that communities have been attacked, farmers are afraid to return to their fields, and families continue to mourn victims of violence and kidnapping.
In a personal reflection, Akpabio recounted being separated from his mother at age four during the civil war in Ikot Ekpene, when gunfire and warplanes turned “days into an eternity.”
“That is why my heart breaks for every child in captivity and every parent who lies awake through the long hours of the night. Yet what I experienced as a child cannot be compared with the horror, humiliation, cruelty, and unspeakable ordeal these innocent children have endured since their abduction.”
He insisted the government remains “steadfast” in securing the freedom of those in captivity and restoring peace, but stressed that security is not the responsibility of government alone.
“When good people unite in purpose under God, the walls of insecurity can fall as surely as the walls of Jericho,” Akpabio said, urging citizens to cooperate with security agencies and refuse to shield criminals.
Addressing young Nigerians, Akpabio said their concerns and aspirations are legitimate, but warned that “democracy flourishes only when its youth are engaged.”
“Nigeria does not need your withdrawal. She needs your participation — your ideas, your creativity, your courage, your enterprise, your prayers, and your faith in the possibility of national renewal,” he said.
“Do not abandon the democratic space. Enter it. Improve it. Strengthen it. The future belongs not to those who retreat from the arena, but to those who enter it with conviction and hope.”
He condemned those who “seek political profit in division,” insisting Nigeria’s diversity is one of its greatest strengths. “To weaken one is to weaken all. To honour one is to strengthen all,” he said.
Akpabio called for prayers for President Tinubu, the National Assembly, the Judiciary, the Armed Forces, and all in public service, saying the Republic is “a testimony to the resilience of our people and the mercy of God.”
“Nigeria’s democratic story is still being written,” he said. “The chapters ahead will be shaped by the quality of our leadership, the strength of our institutions, the character of our citizens, and the grace of Almighty God.”
“Let us move forward in faith and courage. Let us trust God, do what is right, and refuse to surrender to despair. For the best days of our Republic are not behind us. The greatest chapters of our democracy are still ahead of us.”
