The House of Representatives on Wednesday delivered a packed legislative session, kick-starting the 2026 budget cycle and taking major decisions on the economy, public accountability and national security.
At plenary, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen read a letter from President Bola Tinubu transmitting the 2026–2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper, signalling the formal commencement of budget preparations.
In a session marked by swift legislative action, the House passed five strategic bills described as critical to national development. The bills, which lawmakers said would expand specialised healthcare services and strengthen economic governance, especially around ports operations, scaled crucial stages with bipartisan support.
The lawmakers also condemned the killing of unarmed women protesters in Lamurde, Adamawa State. The House resolved to dispatch a fact-finding delegation to the community and demanded justice for the victims.
Worried about rising hardship, the chamber asked the Federal Government to grant waivers to vulnerable Nigerians unable to repay COVID-19 survival loans. It also moved to halt what members described as “indiscriminate and suspicious” sale of land and public assets within the FHA/ENL Estates in Guzape, Abuja.
In a major accountability push, the House summoned the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria over alleged non-remittance of about ₦5 trillion in Operating Surplus and another ₦11 trillion in outstanding revenues owed to the Federation Account. Lawmakers insisted the missing funds were critical to easing fiscal pressures.
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The chamber further resolved to investigate alleged lapses within Pension Fund Administrators and called for comprehensive reforms of the Contributory Pension Scheme to protect workers’ savings.
On economic competitiveness, the House urged the Federal Government to prioritise the decentralisation of port operations, arguing that an overconcentration of activities in Lagos was stifling trade and inflating logistics costs.
Lawmakers also revisited the ongoing constitutional review process and mandated its committee to probe concerns surrounding the controversial Toru-Be State creation proposal.
Earlier, the Statistics Act repeal bill scaled Second Reading, while the Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions laid four reports before the House.
A political shift also played out as two Bayelsa lawmakers, Rodney Ambaiowei and Oboku Oforji, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.
The House said its actions reflected its commitment to accountability, economic stability and the welfare of Nigerians.
