•Warns lawmakers against abandoning duties for 2027 campaigns
Juliet Akoje in Abuja
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, has proposed a 100-day legislative programme to accelerate pending bills, clear outstanding committee reports and strengthen oversight, warning lawmakers against abandoning their constitutional responsibilities for the 2027 election campaigns.
Abbas who announced the plan on Tuesday while addressing members at the resumption of plenary after the 2026 annual recess, said the remaining months of the 10th House must be devoted to completing priority legislation and delivering measurable results for Nigerians.
He also proposed that Tuesdays and Thursdays be dedicated to major bills and urgent national issues, alongside stricter attendance at plenary and committee sittings.
Committees are expected to clear outstanding reports within defined timelines, while the House plans to publish a comprehensive legislative scorecard and legacy report before the end of its tenure.
“Our constituents elected us for a full term, and they deserve a full term of service,” the Speaker said, stressing that political activities must not take precedence over legislation and oversight.
Abbas said the House had received 2,747 bills and passed 363 as of mid-June 2026, with its bill passage rate rising from approximately seven per cent in the first session to about 26 per cent in the third.
The House also processed hundreds of motions and public petitions during the period.
He disclosed that an internal assessment showed the House had completed between 65 and 70 per cent of the principal milestones in its legislative agenda, but cautioned that the number of bills passed was not, by itself, a sufficient measure of legislative performance.
According to him, the effectiveness of the National Assembly must be judged by whether laws resolve public problems, motions lead to action, investigations protect the public interest and oversight improves the management of public resources.
The Speaker identified the conclusion of the constitutional review process as one of the House’s immediate priorities, naming the State Police Bill, the Reserved Seats for Women Bill and other outstanding constitutional alteration bills as proposals requiring sustained engagement with the Senate and state Houses of Assembly.
He also urged the Executive to submit the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework promptly to allow the legislature sufficient time to scrutinise the 2027 budget and facilitate the timely passage of the Appropriation Bill.
Abbas said the House would give prompt consideration to bills and requests transmitted by President Bola Tinubu, including the National Research Development Fund Bill and a request received on Tuesday for the domestication of the Geneva Conventions and their relevant protocols.
He described the Geneva Conventions request as nationally and diplomatically significant, saying its approval would strengthen protections for civilians, wounded persons and prisoners during armed conflicts.
On preparations for the 2027 general elections, the Speaker called for strict adherence to the Electoral Act and adequate lawful support for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to discharge its responsibilities.
He said all public institutions involved in the electoral process must demonstrate neutrality, competence and restraint, while lawmakers must ensure that political competition does not undermine their constitutional obligations.
Acknowledging the defections and political realignments recorded across party lines, Abbas said such developments were part of an active democracy but should not distract members from their shared responsibilities.
“Whatever our political affiliations or personal ambitions, we remain members of one House. We are bound by one Constitution and one oath. The campaign must never become more important than the country,” he said.
The Speaker also called for the completion of outstanding committee reports and bills awaiting legislative action, warning that important proposals should not expire simply because they had remained unattended.
Reflecting on developments since the House adjourned on July 23, Abbas acknowledged improvements in key economic indicators but said the gains must translate into better living conditions for Nigerians.
He cited economic growth of more than four per cent, a decline in inflation to 15.39 per cent in August from 23.14 per cent in the corresponding period of 2025, and external reserves of $54.7 billion in September, the highest level since 2009.
He also said Nigeria recorded a trade surplus exceeding N20 trillion in the first half of 2026, almost twice the figure recorded during the same period in 2025.
While describing the figures as encouraging, Abbas said the priority should be to convert economic stability into affordable food, productive employment, accessible credit and reliable public services.
He noted that investor confidence was improving, with new commitments emerging in ports, power, agriculture and industry.
Among the projects he cited was the proposed $7 billion Gateway Deep Seaport and Blue Marine Economic Zone, which he said could create jobs, expand exports and strengthen Nigeria’s position in African trade.
The Speaker further observed that increased public revenues had expanded the financial capacity of federal, state and local governments, placing a greater responsibility on them to demonstrate accountability, particularly at the subnational level.
He said higher revenues should result in better roads, stronger schools, safer communities and more effective healthcare.
Abbas, however, drew attention to security challenges and natural disasters reported during the recess, including the abduction of schoolchildren in Borno State, attacks and displacement in parts of Ondo State, and destructive flooding and erosion in Enugu and Abia states.
He expressed solidarity with families who had lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods, calling for prompt relief and lasting protection for affected communities.
He said security agencies would continue to receive the support required to perform their duties but maintained that they must remain accountable for the resources and authority entrusted to them.
On budget implementation, Abbas recalled that the House, on September 29, extended the capital component of the 2025 Appropriation Act to December 31 to protect ongoing projects and prevent public investment from going to waste.
He said the extension must lead to faster implementation and measurable results, adding that it would not justify further delays.
The House, he said, would continue to scrutinise fund releases, project timelines and performance.
The Speaker said the 10th Assembly had entered its fourth and final phase, making it necessary for lawmakers to assess their achievements and concentrate on unfinished business.
He acknowledged that the House had experienced disagreements, intense debates and considerable political pressure but said members had preserved the institution’s unity and repeatedly found common ground on issues of national importance.
Abbas commended Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, the Majority Leader, other principal officers, committee chairmen and members for their contributions, while acknowledging the Minority Caucus for what he described as a robust and responsible opposition.
He also praised the Clerk to the National Assembly and legislative staff for sustaining the institution, and thanked the media for keeping Nigerians informed.
The Speaker called for continued cooperation among the Executive, the Judiciary and the legislature, in line with the constitutional independence of each arm of government.
He also urged civil society organisations, professional bodies, the media and constituents to continue holding the House accountable.
He said the final months of the Assembly would test lawmakers’ commitment as political interests intensified and attention shifted towards the elections.
Abbas urged members to remain focused until the end of their mandate, expressing the expectation that the House would complete its priority legislation, strengthen oversight and maintain its service to Nigerians.
The plenary resumed following the annual recess and rehabilitation of the House chamber.
However, Abbas thanked members for their patience during the break and commended the Chairman of the Committee on House Services, Hon.Daniel Amos, the Clerk and technical teams involved in restoring the chamber.