By Suleiman Anyalewechi
“It is an abdication of our duties to be on recess when there are critical national issues to look into and discuss”
A Coalition of concerned members of the House of Representatives has called for the immediate reconvening of the National Assembly for the purpose of addressing what it described as issues of urgent national importance.
The Federal Legislators said it is completely unwise for the National Assembly to remain on recess, and unconcerned in the face of some existential challenges confronting the country.
In a statement on Friday captioned “Nigeria’s Democracy is Nosediving”, and jointly signed by its leader Hon Awaji-Inombek Dagome Abiante (NDC ,Rivers State), Hon Abubakar Yahaya Kusada ( APC Katsina state,) and Hon Mansur Musa Jega (ADC Kebbi state), the group flayed the continued National Assembly’s recess amidst critical national issues requiring legislative intervention.
This is as the group insisted that theirs is a multi-political party platform conceived for the purpose of retrieving the country from the brink, through a stout defence of constitutional democracy, legislative independence, accountability and rule of law.
The concerned Lawmakers emphasized that they are neither an opposition Coalition, nor a political pressure group, but a collection of patriotic and concerned group dissatisfied with the steady erosion of critical democratic institutions and governance structure in the country.
“Our membership cuts across political parties, regions and ideological differences. We are neither an opposition platform, nor an instrument of any political interest.
“We are Legislators increasingly alarmed by the direction of Nigeria’s democracy and the growth tendency of public institutions to subordinate the Constitution ,due process and the welfare of citizens to political convenience”, the group explained.
The Coalition expressed deep concern over what it described as the “steady nosediving of democracy and democratic institutions in the country.”
Particularly, the Lawmakers pointed to repeated incidents of constitutional violations, worsening insecurity, chronic budget under-implementation, allegations of off-budget expenditures and deepening economic hardship among some of the issues that must be urgently addressed if the country is to be pulled out from the principice.
The group insisted that the National Assembly members, remaining on recess amidst these mounting problems is akin to abdicating their constitutional responsibilities.
Referencing the controversial approval of the March 25,2025 Rivers state emergency rule by voice vote, and the hurriedly passed police bill, the coalition accused the National Assembly of enabling impunity and erosion of democratic arrangement in the country.
The concerned Lawmakers alleged that the number of votes officially recorded during the passing of the above cited cases (state police bill and Rivers state emergency rule) were far more than the number of legislators present.
“The Constitution cannot be altered by presumption, impoverisation or undisclosed voting arrangements. Democracy is endangered when a state of emergency can be approved through an unverifiable voice vote ,and the Constitution can purportedly be altered through WhatsApp messages.
“State police may be desirable, but a desirable reform must still be established through a lawful process”, the law makers stated.
The Concerned Legislators similarly expressed shock and disbelief that the National Assembly members have continued to stand aloof in the face of what they called “recurring failure” in the implementation of duly Appropriation Acts.
According to them, repeated incidents of budget rollovers and persistent delay, and even failure to release funds for capital projects have all undermined legislative oversight functions, stunted growth, and development, as well as undermining fiscal discipline.
This is as the Coalition called for a comprehensive implementation reports for the 2024 ,2025 ,and 2026 budgets , alongside details of funds so far released to various ministries and MDAs for capital projects.
The group warned that the executive cannot be allowed the luxury of choosing the laws to obey or implement.
“An Appropriation Act is law, and the Government cannot choose which laws to obey. We, therefore, demand a comprehensive budget implementation report, full disclosure of capital releases, reconciliation of revenues against expenditures authorised by the National Assembly ,and appropriate constitutional action where deliberate non-implementation is established”, they stated.
The concerned legislators also expressed concern over observed and reported cases of extra-budgetary expenditures allegedly amounting to over two percent of the nation’s GDP equivalence.
According to them, about N8.83 trillion was said to have been deliberately omitted from the country’s recent official budget. The group insisted that the report needs to be urgently investigated by the National Assembly.
They described as totally unacceptable a situation whereby Government officials will be demanding sacrifices from the people , while at the same time indulging in reckless expenditures and lavish lifestyle.
“This administration cannot demand sacrifice from Nigerians, while public expenditure remains opaque. Every Naira spent by Government belongs to the Nigerian people.
“Budgetary opacity is not merely an accounting problem’ it is a threat to constitutional Government, public trust, and Nigeria’s economic survival.
“We, therefore, call for an independent forensic audit of all reported off-budget expenditures”, the Lawmakers demanded.
While expressing disappointment over the worsening security challenges in the country, the concerned Legislators urged the leadership of the National Assembly to cut short the ongoing recess and reconvene so that members will address these pressing national problems.
“The National Assembly is not merely an institution for passing Executive Bills and approving requests from the presidency.
“It is an independent arm of Government, constitutionally empowered to represent the people, defend the constitution, appropriate public funds, conduct oversight, and hold the Executive accountable.
“At moments of national difficultly, Parliament must be present”,the Coalition declared.
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