Senate President Godswill Akpabio urges lawmakers to prioritize reform, urgency, and national-impact legislation as the 10th Senate resumes plenary
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has urged members of the upper chamber to embrace urgency, discipline, and reform-minded lawmaking as the Senate resumed plenary on Tuesday, marking the first sitting of 2026 after the Christmas and New Year recess.
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In a welcome address, Akpabio reminded senators that the 10th Senate is entering the final stretch of its tenure, with less than one year and five months remaining in the current legislative cycle.
“This is the final stretch of the marathon, and it is the stretch that separates participation from performance. It demands urgency without panic, reform without recklessness, and productivity without compromise of standards. This final phase must be deliberately reform-driven,” he said.
Akpabio stressed that lawmakers should focus on legislation that delivers tangible national benefits, including laws that unlock growth, secure lives and property, and restore confidence in the Nigerian state.
He warned against unfinished business and legislative clutter, urging senators to pass only what Nigeria truly needs.
“The concluding phase of our work should also be defined by institutional order and completion of pending legislative tasks, rather than the volume of bills passed,” he added.
The Senate President called for reflection on the long-term implications of their decisions, stressing that history would judge senators by impact, not noise.
He also highlighted the need for collaboration with the Executive guided by mutual respect and constitutional responsibility.
“This is our moment of reckoning—not one of fear, but of purpose. The clock is running, the nation is watching, and history is taking notes. Let it be said that when the 10th Senate reached the final stretch, it ran harder, thought deeper, acted bolder, and served better,” Akpabio urged.
The Senate resumed amid a packed legislative agenda, including the scrutiny of President Bola Tinubu’s ₦58.47tn 2026 Appropriation Bill and proposed amendments to Nigeria’s electoral laws.
Earlier, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele assured that both chambers would fast-track the review of the 1999 Constitution, aiming to transmit the exercise to state legislatures by the first quarter of 2026.
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Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives have already begun detailed scrutiny of the revenue and expenditure estimates submitted by President Tinubu.
