By Oluwakemi Kindness
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has proposed a 100-day legislative programme to accelerate work on pending bills and committee reports as the Tenth National Assembly enters its final phase.
Abbas announced the proposal on Tuesday while addressing lawmakers at the resumption of plenary after the House’s 2026 annual recess.
He said the programme would require committees to clear outstanding reports within defined timelines, while Tuesdays and Thursdays would prioritise major bills and urgent national issues.
The Speaker also called for improved attendance at plenary and committee sittings, warning lawmakers against allowing political campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections to disrupt legislative work.
“Legislation and oversight must not be abandoned for the campaign trail,” Abbas said.
He said the House had entered the fourth and final phase of the Tenth Assembly, making it necessary to assess its performance and complete outstanding legislative priorities.
Abbas disclosed that the House had received 2,747 bills and passed 363 as of mid-June 2026.
He added that the rate of bill passage rose from about seven per cent in the first session to approximately 26 per cent in the third session.
According to the Speaker, the House’s internal assessment indicates that it has completed between 65 and 70 per cent of the principal milestones in its Legislative Agenda.
However, Abbas said legislative performance should not be measured by the number of bills passed alone, but by their impact on Nigerians.
“A law must solve a problem. A motion must lead to action. An investigation must protect the public interest,” he said.
He identified the constitutional review process as a major priority, including the proposed State Police Bill, the Reserved Seats for Women Bill and other constitutional amendment bills requiring engagement with the Senate and State Houses of Assembly.
Abbas also urged the Executive to submit the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework promptly to give lawmakers sufficient time to scrutinise the 2027 budget proposals.
He said the House would give prompt attention to pending bills and requests from President Bola Tinubu, including the National Research Development Fund Bill and a request to domesticate the Geneva Conventions and relevant protocols.
According to Abbas, domestication of the conventions would strengthen protections for civilians, wounded persons and prisoners during armed conflict.
The Speaker further proposed publishing a comprehensive Legislative Scorecard and Legacy Report before the end of the Assembly to enable Nigerians to compare its commitments with its performance.
He urged lawmakers to remain focused on their constitutional responsibilities despite increasing political activity ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Our constituents elected us for a full term, and they deserve a full term of service,” Abbas said.
