•Breaks 59-year-old jinx

History was on Friday made in Angola when Senator Godswill Akpabio, President of Senate and Leader of Nigeria’s delegation to the 147^th Inter-Parliamentary Union General Assembly in Luanda, Angola broke a 59-year-old jinx, by being elected into the Executive Committee of the global parliamentary body.

The last time a Nigerian was elected into the Executive Committee of the Parliamentary Union was in 1964.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is the global organization of national parliaments founded in 1889, and dedicated to promoting peace through parliamentary diplomacy and dialogue.

It has grown over Its 135 years into a truly global organization with 179 country members out of 193 countries in the world.

The IPU facilitates parliamentary diplomacy and empowers parliaments and parliamentarians to promote peace, democracy and sustainable development around the world.

A statement by the Special Assistant (Media/Communication) to the Senate President, Anietie Ekong, said Senator Akpabio, was overwhelmingly voted for by delegates across the world to emerge as an Executive Committee member of the Parliamentary Union with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland for a three year mandate.

The 147th IPU Assembly was held in Luanda, Angola, from 21^st to 27^th October 2023 and hosted by the National Assembly of Angola.

The Union In the week long Assembly deliberated upon important issues affecting nations across the world and considered actions to strengthen trust between people and governance structures, to make public institutions more effective, accountable and representative and to better equip parliaments to address the multiple interconnected geo-political, economic and environmental crises facing the world.

•PHOTO: L- R; Newly elected President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Dr Tulia Ackson, Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong at the IPU Assembly in Luanda, Angola on Friday.