Constitutional amendment, electoral reforms, women’s representation top agenda in the House of Representatives after recess
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Abbas Tajudeen, on Tuesday outlined the urgent priorities of the 10th House as lawmakers resumed plenary after the 2025 annual recess, with a strong focus on constitutional amendment, electoral reforms, women’s representation, and national security.
In his welcome address to members, Speaker Abbas said the House was entering a “pivotal midpoint” in its legislative tenure and must redouble its efforts to meet public expectations.
“The responsibilities before us are substantial, and the progress we have made so far is meaningful but incomplete. The Nigerian people look to us for more; they expect deliberate action that improves their daily lives.
“Our midterm review confirms that the 10th House of Representatives has been the most productive since 1999, both in terms of legislative outputs and outcomes,” he stated.
He revealed that between June 2023 and mid-2025, the House considered 2,263 bills, passed 237, and secured presidential assent for 50, covering areas such as power reform, student loans, cybersecurity, tax policy, and regional development.
Abbas added that the legislature had strengthened its internal capacity and deepened citizen engagement through initiatives like the House Open Week, media briefings, and digital communication tools.
Urgent Legislative Priorities
Outlining the House’s major focus areas for the next legislative year, the speaker said the constitutional amendment process tops the agenda, with 87 proposals awaiting debate and voting.
“Chief among our urgent priorities is the constitutional amendment,” Abbas said. “We must complete the votes and transmit the approved amendments to the state assemblies before the end of December to enable early concurrence ahead of the election period.”
He highlighted that the proposals include devolution of powers, local government autonomy, judicial reforms, and socio-economic rights issues that have generated widespread national interest.
The speaker also emphasised the need to finalize electoral reforms well ahead of the 2027 general elections, saying the new electoral act amendment bill aims to strengthen credibility, accessibility, and inclusiveness in Nigeria’s elections.
“Our goal is to make elections less contentious and litigious, lower their cost through single-day voting, and make the process of party primaries more democratic and inclusive,” he explained. “We must produce an electoral act that stands the test of time.”
Reserved Seats for Women
Abbas underscored the House’s commitment to gender inclusion, championing the reserved seats for women bill, which seeks to create additional parliamentary seats to boost female representation.
“Currently, women hold fewer than 5 percent of seats in the National Assembly,” he lamented. “The bill proposes new seats to be contested exclusively by women, without affecting existing ones. This is a historic step, and I urge members to support it. We are all HeForShe in advancing gender inclusion.”
Security and Economic Recovery
On national security, Abbas called for decisive action on multi-level policing, including a constitutional amendment to allow state police and reforms to the Police Act, 2020, to strengthen community policing.
“We should consider devolving recruitment, training, and deployment of community police officers to states under federal oversight,” he proposed. “This would give states a greater role in shaping their security architecture while preserving national coordination.”
He also reaffirmed the House’s commitment to economic reforms that promote job creation and enterprise growth, particularly through legislative measures that support SMEs, renewable energy, and the digital economy.
“Small and medium-sized enterprises remain the backbone of our economy but continue to face high costs, unreliable electricity, and limited access to credit,” Abbas noted. “We must accelerate implementation of the Startup Act and expand vocational training and technology hubs.”
Commitment to Unity and Performance
The speaker commended lawmakers for maintaining stability and cohesion despite political differences.
“The 10th House has demonstrated remarkable maturity in managing differences,” he said.
“We have earned a reputation for stability and responsible leadership through inclusive decision-making and transparency.”
Abbas concluded with a call for unity and results-driven lawmaking.
“Nigerians will judge us not by party affiliations but by the results we deliver,” he said, adding that “the House of Representatives is an institution entrusted with shaping the nation’s future and protecting the rights of its people.”
