By Yakubu Dogara

When we departed for this recess, it was not in the most honorable of circumstances for which I had cause to apologize to Nigerians in that behalf. Today as we resume, I am not ashamed to once again reiterate our unreserved apologies to the people of Nigeria for that unfortunate incidence and promise that we shall be the vibrant House of the Nigerian people that we are.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara after inauguration, yesterday. Photos: Olugbemiga Olamikan/

My dear colleagues, the Eight Assembly has a very crucial role in the political history of our dear country : we are saddled with the responsibility and special privilege to midwife the first government of complete democratic transition in which an opposition party has assumed the realm of government, the first in our political experience. Furthermore, we are a product of an overwhelming mandate of change from the people of Nigeria.

Indeed we are called to national service at a time when public expectation for good governance is at it’s peak and the peoples patience with government is on the edge.

I make bold to state that if the public expectation on previous legislatures was one hundred percent, then the expectation on this Eight Assembly must be anything but not less than two hundred percent ! Therefore we can neither afford to abuse the confidence reposed in us nor can we dare to expose ourselves to the cruel judgment of history.

We had started on an excellent note, or so I thought, having spent a whole legislate day conducting free, fair and transparent elections to elect the two Presiding Officers, at the end of which both those who won and those who did not win   exercised great maturity in respecting the will of the majority. How come then that this spirit of maturity and democratic culture suddenly appears to be eluding us in our effort to conclude the composition of Principal officers to facilitate smooth take off ?

Our great party, the All Progressives Congress APC along with Mr President and other party leaders exhibited uncommon democratic tradition by abstaining from direct interference in the process and given the manner we conducted the election in this Chambers on 9th June, I am persuaded that they do not regret reposing such confidence in us. In this regard we owe them, ourselves, and indeed all Nigerians a duty to prove that we can conclude this process rancor free and without denting our party’s democratic credentials. This we can do and I am confident that we shall.

Today marks the 49th day since 9th June, it would appear it has been all about our selves and our personal ambitions. My dear colleagues the mandate we hold is not about our personal ambitions it is all about the people, the people, and the people, indeed it is about Nigeria : as representatives of the people therefore, we must be the manifestation of   their high expectations of good governance, probity, transparency and accountability ; we must be the manifestation of their unmitigated impatience against dormancy in governance and above all we must resonate their   pain of poverty, squalor and insecurity.

During the period of the working Recess we inaugurated a group of Experts on Law Review and Reform of the various Laws in our Statute books, some of which have become obsolete and   outdated. The Committee will advise the Hon Speaker and the House of Representatives on the legislative action required to achieve this.

I need hardly restate the fact of the enormity of the task before us.Let us therefore resolve here and now to activate our mandate by kickstarting the real business of the people and our nation. May the Almighty God help us to humble ourselves and to dedicate our all to diligence in the task ahead.

God bless us all and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Being excerpts of a speech delivered by Speaker Yakubu Dogara at the resumption of the House of Representatives last Tuesday