…as Speaker Abbas urges continued public engagement

By Gift ChapiOdekina, Abuja

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, on Monday said one of the persistent challenges facing legislative agendas crafted by successive Houses of Representatives is the lack of effective implementation.

Dogara made this known while delivering a goodwill message at the inaugural National Policy Dialogue on the Legislative Agenda of the 10th House of Representatives in Abuja.

According to him, during his tenure as Speaker, efforts to implement the legislative agenda through sectoral debates—where ministers were invited to engage with the House—were met with resistance from the Executive.

He said: “I was in the committee of the House that crafted the first legislative agenda and, of course, as Speaker myself, I rewired one, pointing to the persistent challenge of implementing legislative blueprints. The challenge has always been the implementation—whether you’re talking about allocation of resources or intervention from other arms of government.”

He recounted: “In the 8th Assembly, when sectoral debates—part of the agenda—faced resistance from the Executive, it was going on very well. And then I had a call: ‘Mr. Speaker, my ministers are complaining that you have prevented them from working,’” he narrated. “And it was just for maybe 30, 40 minutes… on areas very critical to the national economy.”

Dogara also commended the current House’s effort to involve stakeholders, noting: “This national dialogue shows two things: first, that the House is prepared to be held accountable, inviting us to hold their feet to the fire. And second, that the outcomes will reflect the choices and needs of the stakeholders.”

Encouraging the Speaker and his Deputy, he stated, “It will require gravitas, gumption. You have what it takes to bring this to fruition,” he added.

“Whatever we say here, no matter how lofty, no matter the language used in crafting this agenda—it will not bring transformation. What brings transformation is not what we know. It is what we do.”

“Anything you call upon us [for], we are there. We are waiting. We will never shy away. We will never run away from this House of Representatives that first gave us our teeth.”

Also speaking at the event, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Abbas Tajudeen, said the 10th National Assembly has embarked on the most ambitious legislative agenda in Nigeria’s history, aimed at restoring public trust and delivering impactful governance.

“This is a clear demonstration of our shared effort to promote parliamentary accountability, transparency, and a truly citizen-driven legislature,” he said.

He explained that the policy dialogue is part of the House’s commitment to regularly engage Nigerians, report progress, and recalibrate strategies based on public feedback. The event also serves as a precursor to the upcoming Open National Assembly Week.

Reflecting on the House’s journey since its inauguration in June 2023, Abbas recalled the economic and social challenges that plagued the nation, exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidies. “Extraordinary times required an extraordinary response,” he said.

He revealed that the 10th House formulated an expansive legislative agenda based on consultations with stakeholders and aligned with the “Renewed Hope” agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. The agenda prioritizes good governance, national security, economic revitalization, legal reforms, and social development, among others.

“Never has a House of Representatives set such an expansive and forward-looking legislative blueprint,” Abbas declared, noting that each House committee embedded the agenda in their work plans and tracked progress using performance indicators.

Highlighting legislative achievements, he said, “We have introduced a record number of bills and a volume of legislative proposals that is unprecedented at this stage of any Assembly.”

Notable among the bills are those focused on reforming the power sector, strengthening financial accountability, addressing gender-based violence, and advancing data protection, tax reform, and regional development.

Beyond lawmaking, Abbas emphasized the House’s oversight role. “We recognise that passing laws is not enough; we must also ensure they are implemented faithfully,” he said. He cited investigations and inquiries that led to the recovery of billions of Naira by the Public Accounts Committee.

He also praised citizen engagement efforts through public hearings, youth summits, and the Open Parliament initiative, which allowed Nigerians to observe proceedings and offer direct feedback.

“We learned by listening and adjusted our course accordingly,” Abbas noted, emphasizing the importance of evidence-based legislation and public opinion studies.

On foreign relations, the Speaker spoke of deepening parliamentary diplomacy through inter-parliamentary friendship groups and urged international partners to support these initiatives.

Acknowledging that much work remains, he said, “We may not be where we ought to be, but we have certainly achieved significant milestones… The 10th House is on the right path.”

Abbas stressed the importance of humility, accountability, and feedback, describing the policy dialogue as a platform for “honest conversations about what has worked and what has not.”

He expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and the Executive Branch for their cooperative spirit, saying, “Where the legislature and the executive fight, it is the people that suffer. Such collaboration turns aspiration into achievement,” he affirmed, adding that the House will continue to uphold transparency, inclusivity, and courage in lawmaking.

The dialogue drew participation from former presiding officers, civil society actors, diplomats, and development partners, all reflecting on the House’s midterm progress and future trajectory.