The House of Representatives resumed plenary on Tuesday following its Eid-el-Kabir break, returning to legislative business with renewed focus on matters of urgent national importance.
At Tuesday’s sitting, presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, PhD, GCON, the House considered issues spanning public health, national security, educational development, and citizens’ petitions, while also advancing its oversight responsibilities.
On security matters, the House called for urgent intervention by the Federal Government and security agencies to secure the safe return of victims of the Oriire School kidnapping and to prevent future attacks on schools. The House also expressed concern over incidents of school-related kidnappings and insecurity affecting educational institutions across the country.
Similarly, the House urged security agencies to take swift and decisive action to secure the release of the 42 abducted Mussa Ward school children in Askira-Uba Local Government Area and other persons currently held in captivity. Members emphasised the need to strengthen security architecture around schools and ensure the protection of students and educators nationwide.
In response to growing concerns over disease outbreaks and epidemic preparedness, the House called on the Federal Government to provide increased funding for the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to strengthen the nation’s capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to Ebola and other epidemic-prone diseases. The resolution followed a motion underscoring the need for sustained investment in public health infrastructure and emergency response systems.
As part of its legislative business, the House passed for second reading a Bill seeking to establish the School of Hospitality, Uzairue, Edo State, alongside one other bill. The proposed legislation aims to expand access to specialised education and promote skills development within the hospitality sector.
The House considered and adopted nineteen reports from the Committee on Public Petitions, reflecting its continued commitment to accountability, transparency, and the resolution of matters brought before Parliament by citizens and organisations.
In addition, the House received four petitions from aggrieved citizens, reaffirming its role as a platform through which Nigerians can formally present grievances for legislative consideration in line with established parliamentary procedures.
Earlier at plenary, fourteen Members of the House notified the Chamber of their resignation from various parties that sponsored their election to the Assembly, citing issues of leadership crises and factionalisation. Chief among the defectors was the House Minority Leader, Rep. Kingsley Chinda (Rivers), whose resignation as a Principal Officer followed his defection from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Among the other developments, the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) recorded gains as seven members joined the party from the PDP, while the PDP gained three seats. The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Labour Party (LP) also gained one new seat each.
The House will continue to advance legislation, strengthen oversight of government institutions, and address issues of national importance in pursuit of security, development, and improved welfare for all Nigerians.
