DEMOCRACY DAY ADDRESS BY RT. HON. ABBAS TAJUDEEN, PHD, GCON, SPEAKER, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JOINT SITTING OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CHAMBER, ABUJA, 12 JUNE 2025

We have gathered in this hallowed chamber to celebrate a truly historic occasion:
twenty-six uninterrupted years of democracy. Your Excellency’s address has not
only elevated our commemoration but also reaffirmed the vitality and resilience of
our democratic institutions. On behalf of the National Assembly, I express our
profound gratitude for honouring us with your presence.
We recall with reverence the historic events of June 12, 1993, a day when Nigerians,
across all divides, united to affirm their collective will for democratic governance.
We also salute His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who himself was a
frontline crusader in the NADECO pro-democracy struggle. You are one of the
patriots who laboured so that democracy might thrive, and now you lead our nation
under the banner of Renewed Hope. Your story itself is that of the triumph of
democracy.
Over the past twenty-six years, the National Assembly has served as the guardian of
our democratic institutions: in 2006, we rejected the third-term bid; in 2010, we
invoked the doctrine of necessity to ensure uninterrupted governance; and we have
championed constitutional and electoral reforms.
Since June 2023, under President Tinubu’s stewardship and the 10th National
Assembly, we launched an eight‑point Legislative Agenda fully aligned with the
Renewed Hope Agenda. Within two years, we have reviewed 2,263 bills. Of these,
65.3% have passed Second Reading, while 186 have been successfully passed. A
total of 51 bills have received presidential assent, marking an unprecedented
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milestone for any President in his first two years. Congratulations on that feat, Mr.
President.
Our legislative efforts have yielded measurable progress on multiple fronts. In
security, we allocated ₦6.11 trillion (11.1%) of the 2025 budget to the security
sector. The Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria Act, 2023, signed by the
President, has set Nigeria on the path to self-reliance in arms production and logistics.
Similarly, the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Act 2024 has tightened
regulatory loopholes in arms control. It is expected to significantly reduce the illicit
circulation of small arms and light weapons.
On the economic front, we supported the removal of subsidies and the unification of
foreign exchange windows. We courageously passed legislation targeted at tax
reforms. Cumulatively, these actions, along with the bold decisions of the President,
are boosting investor confidence, increasing federal revenue, and augmenting state
allocations. In April 2025, Nigeria met its OPEC production quota of 1.486 million
barrels per day. This is the first time Nigeria has met its target since 2021.
Through legislative measures, we have supported and accelerated the President’s
infrastructure revolution. Funding for infrastructure rose to 8.16% in 2025,
sustaining 440 ongoing road projects, including the Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano
corridor and the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway.
In the social sector, allocation to education increased from 5.7% in 2021 to at least
8.2% in 2023/2024. The Student Loan Act has empowered over 500,000 students.
Mr. President, with legislative support, you have established ten new universities,
polytechnics, and specialised institutions. This is the highest of any President in his
first term. We are committed to providing funding to these institutions to ensure
a smooth take-off. Health allocations increased to 5.46% in 2024, resulting in the
revitalisation of 4,000 primary healthcare centres and clinics nationwide. We also
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supported the implementation of a ₦70,000 minimum wage to reinforce social
protection.
The House of Representatives has actively conducted oversight of executive agencies
to ensure that laws are implemented and that development funds are allocated
properly. The House Public Accounts Committee has reported recoveries exceeding
₦61.5 billion in outstanding debts owed to the Federal Government by oil and gas
companies.
We have also deepened transparency through our biannual Youth and Women’s
Town Halls, an annual live televised citizens’ interactive session, and the annual
House Open Week. We are excited to announce that the next Open Week is
scheduled for July. Mr President, we would be honoured if you could join us and
officially declare the event open.
Our parliamentary diplomacy has flourished with the establishment of 82
friendship groups, fostering legislative ties with global partners. Collaborations with
CSOs, including UNDP, PLAC, UN Women, KAS, and YIAGA Africa, have
enhanced our expertise and promoted inclusion. Notably, the 10th House has
partnered with the UNDP, resulting in a Memorandum of Understanding to
mobilise ₦50 billion over four years for the Parliamentary Development Project,
thereby strengthening the capacity of Members.
Mr President, distinguished colleagues, the 10th House has proven to be a ‘House
with a Human Face’
. In March 2025, Members donated ₦705 million, equivalent to
half their salaries over six months, to support the President’s relief programme for
vulnerable Nigerians. The House also contributed ₦650 million to provide housing
for the families of deceased Members and former leaders. Furthermore, individual
Members donated over ₦500 million to support communities in Kaduna, Enugu,
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Anambra, Oyo, Niger, Borno, Plateau, and the Federal Capital Territory,
assisting displaced persons affected by banditry and communal violence.
Furthermore, as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda, the 10th House extended
dedicated support to our traditional institutions, recognising their vital role in
community leadership and cohesion. We provided 40 new vehicles to traditional
rulers across six geopolitical zones to enhance community engagement.
Mr President, we express profound gratitude to you for conferring the national honour
of GCON upon the Office of the Speaker following pleas by Members and for
expanding the National Security Council to include the President of the Senate and
the Speaker of the House. Both decisions affirm the principle of institutional
partnership.
Mr. President, at the risk of provoking the First Lady, I wish to reveal a secret
to you. Here at the House, Members fondly refer to you as the “darling of the
legislature.” You have accomplished what no President has done for the National
Assembly, namely, substantially augmenting our capacity to respond to the needs of
our constituents. We thank you for that.
While we celebrate our successes, we remain acutely aware that it is not yet Uhuru.
As we enter the second half of our term, our determination is unequivocal: to expedite
and finalise the constitutional amendment process by December 2025. Some of our
priorities include special reserved seats for women, formal constitutional roles for
traditional rulers, and legal backing for a 35% affirmative-action gender policy.
We appeal to the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and the
Progressive Governors’ Forum to advocate for these essential reforms at the state
level.

Mr President, I would be remiss in my responsibility to you if I concluded my brief
remarks without also offering some useful recommendations on the way forward. You
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have demonstrated remarkable resolve in removing the fuel subsidy and allowing the
Naira to float. Now, we require an equally decisive intervention in our power
sector. While progress is evident, it is time to ‘wave your magic wand’ once more:
to break the cycle of underperformance by shifting from an over-reliance on thermal
and hydroelectricity to a diversified energy mix. We must embrace renewable and
clean energy sources, such as solar, wind, and even nuclear, to ensure a reliable and
sustainable national grid. If anyone can do this, Mr. President, IT IS YOU!
Secondly, developing the solid minerals sector is essential for Nigeria’s economic
diversification. While we have some existing geological data, it lacks the precision
and quality needed to support large-scale exploration. To complement executive
actions, the House of Representatives will immediately commence an urgent
review of the 2007 Mining Act to allow subnational entities to operate within the
profitable limits of the law while enhancing oversight and mitigating security
risks. If pursued with discipline and clarity, these reforms will position solid
minerals as a strategic pillar of our national economy.
In conclusion, Mr President, permit me one final, earnest appeal. Today’s
ceremony has been truly magnificent, and you have achieved what past Assemblies
could only dream of: an annual address by the President to a joint session of the
National Assembly. By accepting our invitation, you have made history. I
respectfully urge that we now institutionalise this address as an annual event.
On behalf of the Senate and the House of Representatives, I thank you for choosing
to celebrate this Democracy Day with us in this hallowed chamber.
Happy Democracy Day. May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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