Rating Summary
The speaker acknowledged the technical support the House of Representatives receives from OrderPaper Nigeria and other development partners
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas has commended OrderPaper Nigeria and other development partners for their support to and collaboration with the House that has yielded some successes in the last six months of the 10th assembly.
The Speaker gave the recognition on Saturday during his remarks at a special session by the House convened to lay, consider and pass the 2024 appropriation bill.
Rep. Abbas noted that the technical support provided by OrderPaper and other partners have aided the development, implementation and evaluation of the legislative agenda of the House. He also identified the role played during the citizens town hall on the budget.
The speaker told his colleagues: “Let me register my appreciation to the Development Partners, donor agencies and civil society organizations that have contributed to the success of the work of the House through capacity building and technical support. We must acknowledge the support of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), the Konrade Adenauer Stiftung Foundation (KAS), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the YIAGA Africa), the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), BUDGIT, OrderPaper, CISLAC and our own National Institute for Democratic and Legislative Studies (NILDS) among many others. As we look forward to a more and robust collaboration in 2024, we thank them for their services to the House.”
He expressed the willingness of the House to engage with citizens to address specific needs of all Nigerians in the appropriation bill of subsequent years.
“As representatives of the people, it is essential that we involve citizens in our key processes and decision-making. It is in line with this that the House organised a citizens’ town hall on the 2024 Appropriation Bill, where the public was given the opportunity to express views on how the budget can better address the specific needs of all Nigerians, especially those at the grassroots. The House remains committed to engaging citizens in its activities and ensuring the lawmaking process is open and inclusive. In the coming years, the budget will be taken to the people at the constituency levels to allow them also to make inputs.”
He also revealed the readiness of the House to amend the 2022 Electoral Act in consideration of the the various litigations in different courts across the country largely due to disputed outcomes of electoral processes. He said:
“The House recognises the importance of electoral reforms in strengthening our democratic institutions. Consequently, we took the initiative to take the lead in soliciting citizens’ input on the Electoral Act 2022 and recommendations on strengthening it to deliver more free and fair elections and reduce the judiciary’s influence on the electoral process. The outcomes of elections should be decided at the Polling Unit and not in a Court Room.
“The over-judicialisation of electoral outcomes has greatly undermined public confidence and could erode the legitimacy of political leadership if not quickly and adequately addressed. The citizens’ town hall on electoral reforms made far-reaching recommendations that would be considered in amending the Electoral Act.”
