The Nigeria’s National Assembly and Inter-Parliamentary Diplomacy: An Assessment of the Fourth and Fifth National Assembly

Abstract

This paper examines the role of the fourth and fifth Nigerian National Assembly in interparliamentary diplomacy. Using historical method, the paper established that the re-entry of the National Assembly into the global parliamentary circle following Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999 was critical in the realization of certain foreign policy objectives. These include: the restoration of Nigeria’s image; improved confidence in Nigeria’s democracy; enhanced bargaining power in the campaign for external debt relief; influenced the domestication of important international treaties; and engendered the National Assembly to support laudable subregional peace initiatives. The paper concludes that the Nigeria’s National Assembly must further strengthen its participation in inter-parliamentary assemblies so that Nigeria can maximize benefits from her foreign policy commitments.