The Highs and Lows of 10th House in 2025

In 2025, the House of Representatives made efforts to shape the polity and policies of government through motions, Bills and resolutions. While it made some headway, it also performed below expectations in some areas. Adedayo Akinwale reports.

Hear 2025 was quite challenging and also eventful for the House of Representatives. Aside the defection of about 60 opposition lawmakers to the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), which undoubtedly left the opposition parties in tatters ahead of the 2027 elections; there were several resolutions on insecurity, passing or landmark bills and even rejection of other bills that looked suspicious.

After several resolutions passed by the Green Chamber to arrest the alarming rates of insecurity in the country, the House also organised security summits. While it made its voice heard, not much difference has been made in the sector so far. The problem of insecurity remains intractable.

One of the major Bills passed in the outgone year was the controversial Tax Reform Bills — which has now become an Act. The tumultuous journey of the Bill submitted by President Bola Tinubu was a subject of national discussion.

Nevertheless, diplomacy, horse trading, engagements and compromise ensured that the Bill became an Act — which has already taken effect since January 2, 2026. To the credit of the Green Chamber, it was able to pass the Bill before the Senate could even make headway.

Eventually, the House passed the four tax reform bills. The Nigeria Tax Act, 2025; the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025; the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025; and the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025.

On Constitution review, the Green Chamber already commenced voting on some of the constitution alteration Bills.

Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ben Kalu, while speaking at a joint retreat of the House and Senate Committees on Constitutional Review said the Constitution they seek to refine the soul of the country, the expression of common destiny, the framework upon which the hopes and dreams of every Nigerian rest.

“Let the work we do here in Abuja reflect our shared commitment to a Nigeria that works for all. Let this retreat produce a clear, achievable roadmap; one that strengthens local governance, enhances gender balance, ensures credible elections, and secures our federation against future instability.

 “After today, we move from deliberation to decision. We move from consultation to legislative action. We move from debate to delivery. History is watching us. The entire nation with over 200 million Nigerians, anticipates a direction from this Assembly.

“Our people yearn for reforms that: Devolve power and bring governance closer to the grassroots; localise internal security through innovative approaches, like state police; empower their voices through credible elections; ensure fiscal federalism and equitable resource distribution; protect the rights and dignity of every citizen, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or religion; guarantee local government autonomy so that development reaches the last community,” he had said.

Similarly, in the course of the year, the Green Chamber introduced the Indigeneship Bill. According to Kalu who sponsored the Bill, the intention of the bill was to promote national unity, equity, and inclusiveness among all Nigerians, regardless of where they reside.

But he finally succumbed to pressure when he was forced to withdraw the unpopular Bill. The Deputy Speaker noted that the withdrawal has become necessary in the light of the concerns and constructive feedback received from various stakeholders regarding the bill.

He added that the Bill Analysis Report, forwarded by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) also made it imperative for him to step down the bill at this time.

Kalu pointed out that part of the report stated that the State Houses of Assembly should make laws that will make settlers in different states enjoy the same rights and privileges by the indigenes.

The House also introduced a Bill seeking to bar public officials and their families from using private health care facilities and sending their children to private school.

The sponsor of the bill, which is awaiting second reading, Amobi Ogah, told journalists that the proposed legislation titled “Private Institutions and Health Care Service Providers (Prohibition) Bill,”, is aimed at improving the standard and integrity of public health and education facilities in the country.

The Green chamber also considered bills to strip the President of the power to appoint the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); enhance whistle-blowers protection and compel citizens to prove sources of suspicious assets, as ways of strengthening  the fight against corruption in the country.

Weak oversight

The discharge of oversight responsibility by House Committees have continued on a downward trend. Members of the committees are more concerned about what they can get from the agencies of government rather than whipping them into line.

Analysts were of the view that probes instituted by various committees of the House have yielded no results. It has become an avenue to force erring agencies into the negotiation tables where the lawmakers interest would be taken care of.

On a few occasions where the parliament tried to stand its ground, some agencies have staged a walkout.

For instance, on October 29, officials of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board(JAMB) walked out on the House Committee on Basic Education Examination Bodies, at an investigative hearing convened by the panel to enable the examination body give a report on the agency’s 2023–2024 budget performance, Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) implementation, as well as provide evidence of remittances to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF).

Nevertheless, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, represented by Mufutau Bello, and other officials, objected to the presence of journalists at the session, describing it as a ploy to ridicule  them.

Members of the committee were still trying to reason with the examination body, when JAMB officials got up and left the hearing room, to the consternation of lawmakers.

Chairman of the committee, Hon. Oforji Oboku, cried foul and threatened fire and brimstone. But that was where the entire issue ended.

The walk out, observers said, was an indication of the weakness of the parliament, when it comes to holding the executive to account on behalf of the Nigerian people.

Corruption Allegation

It has almost become impossible to separate the Green Chamber from corruption. The year 2025 was the same as there were allegations that members of the House Committee on University Education and the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund demanded N8 million from each federal university.

The total alleged extortion racket was estimated at N480 million in exchange for passing the 2025 budget allocations.

As expected, the House spokesperson, Hon. Akin Rotimi denied these claims, labeling them as attempts to “undermine the integrity of the House”. Till date, no investigation was conducted by the Green Chamber to get to the bottom of the allegation.

Similarly, a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ibrahim Auyo claimed that lawmakers pay between N1 million and N3 million to present bills, motions, and petitions on the floor of the Green Chamber.

Auyo, who represents Hadejia/Auyo/Kafin Hausa Federal Constituency of Jigawa State and a member of the All Progressives Congress, made the claim during a meeting with his constituents.

In a video of the meeting, which went viral, the lawmaker spoke in Hausa while responding to criticism over his record of bill sponsorship.

“Since I was elected as a member in 2015, no individual has given me a bill to pass, either from Auyo, Hadejia, or Kafin Hausa. They are just pretending. And also, even the bills and petitions are paid for. You have to pay from N3 million, N2 million, or N1 million to present it,” he had said.

Critics say the House, in the outgone year, failed to show rigour in processing requests from the executive, especially on issues that had to do with borrowing and appropriations. For instance, the 2026-2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework/ Fiscal Strategy (MTEF/FSP), which was transmitted to the House by President Tinubu, on December 10, was passed on December 18.

Deputy chairman, House Committee on Finance, Abdullahi Saidu, while  addressing the House, on seemingly gaps in report in the MTEF /FSP report by the committee, noted that the limited time available to the committee to work on the document did not allow for a robust consideration.

Abdullahi said “You will recall that about two weeks ago, we met with the economic management team, including the minister of finance and budget and the director-general of the budget office. One of my comments and remarks then was the fact that it is not too okay for us to be receiving some of these documents very late. By the provision of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, we are supposed to have received this document since September, but it came last week; which unfortunately has not allowed the committee the time to do a detailed  analysis of what has been presented to it.”

In all, the Green Chamber in 2025 made some strides, while it falters in others.