By The House of Representatives has denied reports of an alleged rift with its leadership, reaffirming its unity under the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Dr. Tajudeen Abbas, PhD, GCON.
In a statement issued by the House Spokesman, Hon. Akin Rotimi Jr., on August 30, 2025, the chamber described as misleading a recent publication that framed informal conversations among lawmakers as a looming “showdown” with the Speaker.
According to the statement, while members are free to air their views in formal and informal platforms, such exchanges should not be mistaken for official resolutions of the House or any caucus. The House, it stressed, operates strictly through parliamentary procedures that allow issues to be tabled, debated, and resolved collectively.
Rotimi commended Speaker Abbas for fostering consensus in the 10th Assembly despite its diverse composition of 360 lawmakers from different political, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. He said the chamber remains focused on resuming plenary on September 23, 2025, with renewed commitment to its legislative duties and national priorities.
On the issue of constituency projects, the House clarified that delayed payments to contractors were a nationwide challenge, not peculiar to lawmakers’ nominations. It noted that the leadership, through the Appropriations Committees, has engaged the Minister of Finance, leading to the commencement of payments, with assurances that all outstanding 2024 obligations will soon be cleared.
The statement also defended constituency projects as vital to extending government presence to communities in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. It urged patience from constituents, stressing that lawmakers are equally under pressure to ensure implementation despite fiscal constraints.
Addressing concerns over recruitment into the National Assembly bureaucracy, the House said the exercise is handled solely by the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), an independent statutory body. While lawmakers do not control the process, Speaker Abbas has directed the Committee on Public Service Matters to investigate the recruitment to ensure compliance with principles of merit, federal character, and inclusiveness.
The House rejected claims of regional favoritism in project distribution, describing them as divisive and untrue. It emphasized its commitment to equity, justice, and fairness in all legislative actions.
While acknowledging that members’ debates often reflect the frustrations of citizens on issues like project delivery, employment opportunities, and security, the statement maintained that such discussions should not be sensationalized.
“The House Leadership remains steadfast in upholding transparency, inclusiveness, and fairness in its constitutional mandate of lawmaking, oversight, and representation,” Rotimi said. “Members are urged to continue supporting this process in the collective interest of the institution and the nation.”
