The executive is working harmoniously with the National Assembly to fix the economy, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said on Thursday.
To him, there can be no development without the backing of lawmakers.
The President spoke at a colloquium to mark the 61st birthday of Senate President Godswill Akpabio in Abuja.
He said: “Having Senate President Akpabio and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, on my side is enough for me to succeed, and we will succeed.”
According to Tinubu, Akpabio as Chairman of the National Assembly is committed to national development.
The President said: “We will work together. While we consider the affairs of this country, the nationhood and the belief in one country will put us on the right path.
“Having you and Abbas as partners is good enough for me to succeed. Inshallah, we will succeed.
“I appreciate Akpabio. God will help you, God will guide you. I believe in the person of Godswill Akpabio; he is truly Godswill.
“I knew him as a governor, as a commissioner in Akwa-Ibom. We shared the same vision even though he was a commissioner. He was extremely inquisitive.
“He transformed Akwa-Ibom tremendously. He built one of the most effective drainage systems in Akwa-Ibom.
“Today, up till now, no matter how heavy the rain is, you will never find casualties.
“All the other beautiful things you (Akpabio) did, the stadium, the hotel, caring for the lives of the people of Akwa-Ibom, is exceptionally great.
“On this occasion of your birthday anniversary, I’m delighted to join your family, friends, colleagues and Nigerians from across the country wishing you a long life, good health, peace, satisfaction and gratitude for the abiding grace of God Almighty.”
Akpabio said the Renewed Hope Agenda “is real and this government is a corrective government”.
“Our legislative agenda is going to be people-centred,” he said.
Abbas said Akpabio, throughout his distinguished career, showed valuable assistance, strategic thinking and innovative leadership.
Former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim, who chaired the event, said Akpabio has a date with destiny.
“You have emerged as President of the Senate at a time so much dexterity is required to redirect the course of our nation, reset our national agenda, and re-envision our future as a people,” he said.
Anyim insisted on the need to align the legislative agenda with the executive agenda to reset priorities, benchmark national interest and redefine development.
Former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president, Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), who was the guest speaker, said the country must tackle insecurity to restore peace and development.
Agbakoba said: “The first question is how we can find peace? Is it by armed force? It will be by executive and legislative processes.
“We can’t win the war by armed force. So I will suggest to the National Assembly to consider the possibility of inviting the ethnic nationalities, the owners of Nigeria.
“The traditional rulers that are being ignored. I believe they have a hand in the constitutional process. If this is done we will achieve peace.
“Together with our traditional rulers who I think are being ignored in the process, we might be able to resolve these Boko Haram and IPOB crises.”
He said: “INEC is doing far too much. In the (Mohammed) Uwais report, we recommended creating the Electoral Offences Commission.
“I urge the 10th National Assembly to simply enact the recommendations.
“The Electoral Act makes a mockery of democracy, so we can correct that by passing all the recommendations of the Uwais Panel.”
Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, said that the colloquium was the culmination of events to mark Akpabio’s birthday.
“The 10th Senate feels that as we work with the President to lay the foundation for the Renewed Hope Agenda of this administration, the time has come for us to draw attention to the critical mandate imposed on the Senate and the National Assembly by the Constitution.
“We must engender an inclusive process of executing the mandate by working with a broad section of our society to design a legislative agenda for national development,” he said
Among the dignitaries at the event were National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.