The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, on Tuesday, set out a comprehensive legislative roadmap for the remainder of the 10th National Assembly as lawmakers reconvened from their 2025 annual recess, unveiling a new agenda on constitution review, electoral reforms, gender equity, and security.
Addressing members during the first plenary sitting after the break, Abbas described the next legislative phase as a “crucial and promising” period for the House.
He urged lawmakers to intensify efforts to enact impactful laws, conduct rigorous oversight, and ensure that parliamentary work delivers meaningful change in the lives of Nigerians.
Reviewing the achievements of the 10th House since its inauguration in June 2023, the speaker noted that despite significant political and economic challenges, the chamber had made landmark progress in lawmaking and institutional reforms.
So far, he said, the House has considered 2,263 bills, passed 237, and secured presidential assent for 50 of them, addressing vital areas such as power sector reform, cybersecurity, student financing, tax policy, and regional development.
“Our midterm review shows that the 10th House of Representatives stands out as the most productive since 1999, both in legislative output and policy impact.
“We have strengthened internal capacity, modernised our rules, and deepened citizen engagement through the House Open Week, town halls, media briefings, and digital platforms,” Abbas said.
He commended the constructive relationship between the legislature and the executive, which, according to him, has led to the timely passage of budgets, policy alignment, and effective governance, all without compromising the autonomy of the House.
One of the most urgent legislative priorities, Abbas revealed, is the completion of the ongoing constitutional amendment process.
He disclosed that 87 proposals, including those on the devolution of powers, judicial reforms, local government autonomy, and socio-economic rights, are currently under consideration.
He noted that a widely attended public hearing held on September 22 demonstrated overwhelming public support for constitutional reforms.
The speaker urged lawmakers to fast-track debates, conclude voting, and forward approved amendments to state assemblies before the end of December to allow adequate time for concurrence ahead of the 2027 elections.
Electoral reform, Abbas said, remains another critical focus area.
He explained that the proposed amendments to the Electoral Act aim to enhance election security, improve access for persons with disabilities, streamline electoral procedures, and reduce post-election litigation.
“Our objective is to make elections less divisive and costly by introducing single-day voting and ensuring that party primaries are more democratic and inclusive.
“The amendments will also establish an Electoral Offences Commission to strengthen accountability and public confidence,” he stated.
Abbas also highlighted the Reserved Seats Bill for women as a pivotal legislative proposal aimed at boosting female participation in governance.
With women currently occupying fewer than 5% of parliamentary seats, the bill seeks to create new seats to be contested exclusively by women, without altering the existing 109 Senate and 360 House seats.
(Independent)
