2027: Don’t Allow External Actors Use Parliament to Advance Political Interests, Agbese Tells Lawmakers

Adedayo Akinwale, based in Abuja, reports that the Deputy Spokesman of the House of Representatives, Hon. Philip Agbese, has cautioned lawmakers against permitting external political actors to exploit parliamentary proceedings ahead of the 2027 elections. Speaking in a statement on Wednesday, Agbese addressed the calls from some lawmakers in the Save Democracy Group for the National Assembly to suspend its recess due to critical issues such as insecurity and the non-payment of contractors on constituency projects.

While recognizing the validity of these concerns, Agbese challenged the appropriateness of this demand given the imminent 2027 general elections, warning that lawmakers must be wary of not appearing to serve the interests of external political entities rather than focusing on their own responsibilities. He emphasized that while the lawmakers' intentions are commendable, the timing of their request is suspect.

The deputy spokesperson underscored that the 10th National Assembly is actively drafting bills and policies aimed at addressing the needs of Nigerians, countering claims that lawmakers merely rubber-stamp executive proposals. He highlighted several people-centric legislative initiatives undertaken by the House, such as the proposed establishment of state police, which preceded the executive's own bill on the matter.

Agbese explained that the executive's proposal should be seen as a means to align the positions of both the legislative and executive branches, thereby avoiding redundancy and unnecessary expenditure. He clarified that the executive's introduction of the state police bill was merely an opportunity for both branches to refine the proposal before it is forwarded to the state legislatures, emphasizing the collaborative effort to ensure efficient use of taxpayers' resources.