The Senate President, David Mark, says the National Assembly will stand and defend only those things that will engender peace and unity of Nigeria.

This is contained in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Paul Mumeh, in Abuja on Monday.

Mark, who spoke at the Sen. Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman (PDP-Kogi) Initiative Empowerment Programme in Okene, said that dividends of democracy would be better delivered if the legislature and executive work in harmony.

Mark emphasised the need to abhor friction between and among government functionaries so that the electorate could benefit from government programmes and policies.

Referring to the recent security challenges in which thousands of Nigerians had been killed, Mark pleaded for peaceful coexistence between and among Nigerians.

“There has to be peace for us to talk about development at any given point. Government alone cannot guarantee peace.

“It is the cooperation of us all irrespective of our political, ethnic and religious differences that can bring peaceful coexistence,’’ he said. (NAN)