High Expectations as N’Assembly Resumes from Vacation Today – THISDAYLIVE

After barely three-month long annual vacation, the 10th National Assembly will reconvene today, Tuesday, October 7, 2025 to resume plenary. The return of the federal lawmakers comes at a time when Nigerians are grappling with mounting socio-economic challenges, worsening insecurity, and the unrelenting demands of governance. Expectations are therefore high that the upper legislative chamber, under the leadership of Senator Godswill Akpabio, will move swiftly to set a clear legislative agenda that addresses urgent national priorities.

The upper chamber’s resumption is not just another routine legislative return; it comes against the backdrop of critical political, fiscal, and security developments that will shape the trajectory of the country in the coming months. Issues such as that of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, consideration of the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper, the 2026 appropriation bill, the ongoing constitution review process, rising insecurity across the country, and anticipated formal defections on the floor of the Senate, will dominate the legislative space.

One of the most sensitive political issues awaiting the Senate’s attention is the outstanding issue of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan . The Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District has endured a tumultuous journey in the Red Chamber, facing challenges to her mandate through protracted litigations and political hostilities. Her case has transcended local Kogi politics, becoming a litmus test for Nigeria’s democratic institutions and the sanctity of electoral mandates. As the courts continue to affirm her victory, pressure mounts on the Senate to fully integrate her role without further distractions. Her case symbolizes the broader struggle of women in politics, especially in male-dominated legislatures, and resonates with ongoing advocacy for gender equity in governance.

The 10th Senate is therefore expected to use her situation as a springboard to strengthen internal mechanisms for protecting the integrity of its membership and defending democratic mandates against undue political manipulation. Failure to do so could erode public confidence in the institution.

Sooner than they expected after resumption, the Senate will confront one of its most constitutionally significant tasks, which is the consideration and approval of the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper for 2026–2028. The MTEF/FSP is the fiscal template upon which the President will base the 2026 appropriation bill, expected to be presented in November. This year’s fiscal projections will be particularly delicate, given the country’s precarious economic realities.

With inflation hovering in double digits, the naira still under pressure, and debt servicing consuming a frightening proportion of national revenues, Nigerians are looking up to the National Assembly for robust scrutiny of the executive’s proposals.

The Senate Finance Committee and its counterparts on Appropriations, National Planning, and Public Accounts are expected to rise to the occasion by interrogating the assumptions underpinning government revenue forecasts, crude oil benchmark, exchange rate parameters, and expenditure priorities.

Moreover, Nigerians expect the Senate to demand greater transparency and accountability in the management of subsidies, borrowing, and intervention funds. The legislature cannot afford to be a rubber stamp at a time when every kobo of public funds counts. When the 2026 budget is eventually presented by President Bola Tinubu, probably before the end of November, the Senate’s handling of the appropriation process will be closely watched. Timely passage is important, but not at the expense of thorough scrutiny.

Nigerians expect the 10th Senate to balance speed with depth to ensure that the budget truly reflects national priorities and delivers relief to the helpless, struggling citizens.

Another pressing item on the legislative agenda is the ongoing constitution review exercise. For years, successive assemblies have embarked on constitutional amendments with limited success, often recycling the same debates on devolution of powers, state police, fiscal federalism, and local government autonomy.

The 10th Senate has an opportunity to break this cycle of endless motions without tangible outcomes. Nigerians are clamouring for reforms that bring governance closer to the people and restructure the federation to reflect equity, efficiency, and inclusiveness. Particular attention should be on proposals for state policing, given the rising insecurity nationwide. Equally critical are demands for judicial reforms, gender equality, and true financial autonomy for local governments.

The Senate must work more collaboratively with the House of Representatives and state assemblies to ensure that passed amendments achieve the required two-thirds concurrence. Beyond that, public engagement is key. Nigerians want to see more town halls, consultations, and openness in the constitution review process, not a closed-door affair dominated by political elite.

Perhaps no issue resonates more painfully with Nigerians than the escalating insecurity in various parts of the country. From banditry and kidnappings in the North-West, to herder-farmer clashes in the Middle Belt, militancy in the Niger Delta, and separatist agitations in the South-East, insecurity continues to undermine national stability and development.

More worrisome is the alleged use of bandits by some foreign miners to perpetrate killings in areas where precious natural resources are being discovered in many parts of the North Central, the very latest being that of the Oke Ode community in Kwara State.

The Senate had, over time, debated countless motions on insecurity, often ending in mere resolutions that fail to translate into tangible action. Nigerians are weary of what they perceive as legislative rhetoric without follow-through. This time, the 10th Senate must go beyond motions. It is expected to use its constitutional powers of appropriation, oversight, and investigation to press the executive and security agencies for measurable results.

For instance, how are the billions allocated to defence and security being spent? Why is intelligence-sharing still weak? What reforms are needed to make policing more effective? Furthermore, the Senate should revisit stalled legislative proposals such as the Police Reform Bill and laws that strengthen community security initiatives. Nigerians want a Senate that matches words with deeds in the fight against insecurity.

As is customary in Nigerian politics, the resumption of plenary may witness formal announcements of defections by some Senators. Already, there are indications that lawmakers from opposition parties are under pressure to switch allegiance to the ruling All Progressives Congress, in line with ongoing political realignments. Senate President Akpabio himself hinted penultimate week  that more governors and political leaders were preparing to join the APC. Such defections will naturally reflect in the composition of the Senate, strengthening the ruling party’s dominance.

While party politics is part of democracy, Nigerians expect that defections should not distract lawmakers from their core legislative duties. The Senate must guard against degenerating into a theatre of partisan battles at the expense of governance.

For instance, close watchers of political permutations and internal politics within the Senate expect Akpabio to change the leadership of the Senate Public Account Committee and that of Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions whose chairmen, formerly members of the opposition political parties had defected to the ruling APC. The committees are traditionally meant for the opposition.

Central to how the 10th Senate navigates its challenges is the leadership style of Senate President Godswill Akpabio. His emergence in June, 2023 was not without controversy, and his leadership continues to be tested by the delicate task of balancing party loyalty with institutional independence.

As the Senate resumes plenary therefore, Akpabio must rally his colleagues around a unifying legislative agenda that transcends partisan divides. The people want a Senate that is assertive, not subservient, collaborative but not compromised. How he manages internal dissent, committee efficiency, and executive-legislative relations will define his legacy.

As Senators file back into the Red Chamber today, Nigerians’ expectations are high. They expect economic responsibility, which entails a rigorous review of the MTEF/FSP and a budget process that ensures fiscal prudence and prioritizes growth, jobs, and poverty reduction. They expect constitutional reform that delivers meaningful amendments to restructure governance and strengthen democracy. They want security oversight that is more proactive and result-oriented, with tangible outcomes that reduce the daily threats faced by citizens. They demand political stability in the Senate’s handling of defections and other partisan intrigues so that the chamber does not lose its institutional focus.

Nigerians are especially watching how the Senate protects and supports legislators like Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan while advancing bills that promote women’s political participation and equity.

The 10th Senate stands at a crossroads as it resumes plenary. Nigerians are looking beyond ceremonies and speeches; they want impact. They want a legislature that scrutinizes executive policies with courage, passes laws that matter, and uses oversight powers to improve governance.

The challenges before the Senate are daunting, ranging from fiscal strain, insecurity, political volatility, to public disillusionment.

Yet, within these challenges lie the opportunity for the 10th Senate to define itself as a chamber of consequence. Today, as the mace is lifted once again, Senators must remember that history beckons. Their performance in the months ahead will determine not just their individual political future, but the fate of Nigeria’s democracy itself.