….As Akpabio Proposes June 12 Museum, Senate Records 844 Bills in Two Years

…..Speaker Abbas Calls for Urgent Reforms in Power and Solid Minerals Sectors

By Henry Umoru & Gift Chapi-Odekina

ABUJA – The National Assembly has passed a resolution calling for the institutionalization of an annual State of the Nation Address by the President, to be delivered before a joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives.

The move follows President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s historic address to the National Assembly during the 2025 Democracy Day celebration, marking the first time a sitting president has delivered such an address in this format.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, emphasized the importance of making the event an annual tradition:

“Today’s ceremony has been truly magnificent. You have achieved what past Assemblies only dreamt of — an annual address by the President to a joint session of the National Assembly. I respectfully urge that we now institutionalise this address as an annual event.”

The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, declared it a formal motion, which was subsequently adopted by both chambers.

In his welcome address, Senator Akpabio called on President Tinubu to establish a National Museum of Democracy in honor of the June 12, 1993 election and Nigeria’s pro-democracy struggles.

“I respectfully urge Mr. President to consider the establishment of a June 12 Museum—a living archive for the stories, artifacts, struggles, and sacrifices of the democratic movement,” he said.

Akpabio hailed Tinubu as a “veteran of the trenches” and “a symbol of democratic resistance,” recalling his pivotal role in the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) during the fight for democracy.

“While others chose silence or compromise, you chose courage,” he said. “NADECO helped sustain the flame of liberty at great personal cost.”

He described June 12, 1993 as a national awakening: “Nigeria did not just lose an election; she lost her innocence. The people rose. Angry students marched. Journalists spoke. Mothers wailed. Workers downed tools. Fathers stood before tanks.”

Akpabio warned that nations that forget their past risk losing their moral compass and said the museum would serve as a tool for national education and remembrance.

Tinubu’s Reforms and Legislative Milestones

Highlighting the administration’s achievements, Akpabio praised Tinubu’s reforms in the economy, taxation, and local governance:

“From unifying the foreign exchange market, to removing fuel subsidies, to promoting local government autonomy and initiating tax reforms — this administration has not shied away from the tough decisions.”

He also shared progress made by the 10th Senate, revealing that 844 bills have been introduced, 107 are at the committee stage, 499 have passed second reading, 96 have been passed, and 52 have been assented to by the President.

“This is a record unmatched by any Nigerian Senate in two years,” Akpabio noted.

Bills passed include the National Education Fund Bill, Local Government Autonomy Bill, reforms in tertiary education, regional development, and agriculture. The Senate also acted on 26 Executive Bills and received over 80 citizen petitions, a reflection of growing public trust in the legislature.

Akpabio emphasized the importance of executive-legislative collaboration: “History teaches that nations thrive when the executive governs with vision and the legislature guides with wisdom—both walking hand-in-hand as co-stewards of national trust.”

He concluded by urging all Nigerians to safeguard democracy beyond election cycles: “To the youth: do not treat democracy with apathy. To civil society: do not let memory fade. To the media: hold us accountable. Democracy must not be reduced to election days.”

Speaker Abbas: Time for Bold Reforms in Power, Mining

In his closing remarks, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas lauded President Tinubu’s leadership and commitment to democracy, calling for bold reforms in Nigeria’s power and solid minerals sectors.

Reflecting on June 12, 1993, Abbas said: “We recall with reverence the historic events of June 12 and salute President Tinubu, a frontline NADECO crusader, whose story exemplifies democracy’s triumph.”

He announced that the House of Representatives has reviewed 2,263 bills since June 2023, with 186 passed and 51 assented to by the President—another record.

Abbas also highlighted alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda, including:

₦6.11 trillion allocated to security in the 2025 budget

Defence Industries and Arms Control Acts passed

Legislative support for fuel subsidy removal and FX unification

₦70,000 minimum wage implementation

₦61.5 billion recovered through Public Accounts oversight

10 new federal institutions established

Revitalization of 4,000 primary healthcare centres

₦705 million donation to the Presidential Relief Programme

₦650 million for families of deceased lawmakers

Despite these gains, Abbas stressed that much work remains:

“It is not yet Uhuru. You’ve shown great courage in removing the fuel subsidy. Now we need the same resolve in the power sector.”

He urged Tinubu to diversify Nigeria’s energy mix to include solar, wind, and nuclear sources and announced the House’s plan to review the 2007 Mining Act to empower states and improve regulation and security.