The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has frowned at the nation’s electoral integrity, stating that elections ought to be decided at the polling units rather than courtrooms.
This is just as he commended his colleagues for their dedication to duty since the inauguration of the federal parliament on June 13, 2023.
Abbas stated these on Saturday in Abuja during his remarks at the vacation of the House for the New Year holidays.
The Speaker called for a minute’s silence in honour of members of the 10th House who lost their lives, including Abdulkadir Danbuga (Isa/Sabon Birnin, Federal Constituency, Sokoto State) and the member-elect representing Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency of Taraba State, Ismaila Maihanci, who died a few days before the inauguration of the House.
He said, “The House recognises the importance of electoral reforms in strengthening our democratic institutions. Consequently, we took the initiative to take the lead in soliciting citizens’ input on the Electoral Act 2022 and recommendations on strengthening it to deliver more free and fair elections and reduce the judiciary’s influence on the electoral process.
“The outcomes of elections should be decided at the polling unit and not in a courtroom. The over-judicialisation of electoral outcomes has greatly undermined public confidence and could erode the legitimacy of political leadership if not quickly and adequately addressed. ”
Commending his colleagues for a job well done, he said, “From the onset, we deliberately adopted a leadership model that is open, transparent, impartial, and inclusive. This approach is intended to enhance public trust and accountability, encourage participation, facilitate better decision-making, and promote new ideas to make the legislature more effective in discharging its constitutional mandate.
“To strengthen our internal processes and systems, we reviewed and updated our Standing Orders to better adapt to changing societal and legislative needs and incorporate technological advancements such as virtual and hybrid meetings and e-parliament to enhance efficiency and accessibility.
“The revised Standing Orders is now well suited to address emerging issues and new challenges, such as global emergencies and the COVID-19 pandemic that obstructed the effective functioning of the legislature. Our rules have also been reviewed to align them to international standards and best practices, facilitating better collaboration and consistency in global legislative processes.
“In the period under review, the House concluded and presented a robust legislative agenda outlining clear and specific objectives that the House intends to achieve and our legislative priorities. This clarity is already contributing to focusing the efforts and resources of the House and its committees on key issues while at the same time making the legislative process more efficient and effective.
“The House Agenda identifies eight priority areas, which have been carefully crafted to align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Executive and the yearnings of our constituents. The key areas of focus highlighted in the agenda are strengthening good governance, improving national security, economic growth and development, social sector reform and development, inclusion and open parliament, influencing/directing Nigeria’s foreign policy, and addressing climate change and environmental sustainability. The chosen thematic areas were aggregated in consultation with citizens.”
Bills and motions
On work done so far by the House, the Speaker said, “Our legislative outputs in the last six months are remarkable. The House received and considered 962 bills, 500) motions, and 153 petitions. Of these numbers, 120 bills have passed the second reading stage. They are currently undergoing further review and refinement to address some of the concerns raised during the debates.
Another 120 bills have been referred to committees for in-depth analysis. We have also successfully passed many other bills, which have been transmitted to the Senate for concurrence.
“Notable among these bills are the Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023; the Federal Audit Service Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023; the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023; and the Oath Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2023. Other critical bills passed by the House include the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Bill, 2023; the Federal Fire and Rescue Service Bill, 2023; the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2023; the Niger Delta Development Commission Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023; the Nigerian Medical Research Council (Establishment) Bill, 2023; the Nigerian Peace Corps (Establishment) Bill, 2023; and more recently, the South East Development Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2023.
“The Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill 2023 that we passed was assented to by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on 23rd November, 2023. It repealed the 1964 legislation and replaced it with more contemporary legislation that empowers the Defence Corporation to manufacture, store, and dispose of ordinances. All these bills are intended to provide immediate relief and long-term solutions to the challenges that have plagued our society. Through these bills, we aim to empower our citizens, enhance social justice, promote economic growth, and promote peace and security.”
He continued, “Over the same period, the House received and resolved over 500 motions, many of which brought to the attention of the House and the nation pressing matters affecting the people.
“I have always considered motions to be one of the most potent tools of legislative representation. They show that the legislature, better than any other institution, is best placed to articulate the needs of the people and how to address them. Notable motions the House considered include oil theft, student loans, job racketeering, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, firearms, COVID-19 fund mismanagement, 3 per cent contribution to host communities, and the petroleum subsidy regime.
“In response to the issues raised, the House constituted ad-hoc committees to conduct investigative hearings and make recommendations for necessary legislative actions.
“I am glad to announce that out of the 30 ad hoc committees, 25 have laid their reports before the House for consideration, while four have been considered.
In addition to bills and motions, the House also received 153 petitions, which are receiving necessary legislative action.
“The House has made significant strides in fostering greater collaboration with citizens in all our key legislative activities. This has been achieved through engaging citizens in oversight, committee activities, and other legislative processes.
“These efforts have ensured that the voices of the people are heard and their inputs are incorporated into the lawmaking process. As noted earlier, in developing the legislative agenda, the House organised a citizens’ town hall whose inputs were incorporated into the final draft.”