Speaker Abbas Laments Electoral Litigations, Says It Undermine Public Confidence

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has voiced his concerns about the consistent litigations of election results saying it undermine public confidence and the nation’s electoral integrity.

Speaker Abbas insisted that elections ought to be decided at the polling units rather than courtrooms.

Abbas stated these on Saturday in Abuja, during his remarks at the vacation of the House for the New Year holidays.

He commended his colleagues for their dedication to duty since the inauguration of the federal parliament on June 13, 2023.

The Speaker called for a minute’s silence in honour of members of the 10th House who lost their lives including Abdulkadir Danbuga (Isa/Sabon Birnin, Federal Constituency, Sokoto State) and the member-elect representing Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency of Taraba State, Ismaila Maihanci, who died a few days before the inauguration of the House.

He said, “The House recognises the importance of electoral reforms in strengthening our democratic institutions. Consequently, we took the initiative to take the lead in soliciting citizens’ input on the Electoral Act 2022 and recommendations on strengthening it to deliver more free and fair elections and reduce the judiciary’s influence on the electoral process.

“The outcomes of elections should be decided at the polling unit and not in a courtroom. The over-judicialisation of electoral outcomes has greatly undermined public confidence and could erode the legitimacy of political leadership if not quickly and adequately addressed. ”

Commending his colleagues for a job well done, he said, “From the onset, we deliberately adopted a leadership model that is open, transparent, impartial, and inclusive. This approach is intended to enhance public trust and accountability, encourage participation, facilitate better decision-making, and promote new ideas to make the legislature more effective in discharging its constitutional mandate.

“To strengthen our internal processes and systems, we reviewed and updated our Standing Orders to better adapt to changing societal and legislative needs and incorporate technological advancements such as virtual and hybrid meetings and e-parliament to enhance efficiency and accessibility.

“The revised Standing Orders is now well suited to address emerging issues and new challenges, such as global emergencies and the COVID-19 pandemic that obstructed the effective functioning of the legislature. Our rules have also been reviewed to align them to international standards and best practices, facilitating better collaboration and consistency in global legislative processes.

“In the period under review, the House concluded and presented a robust legislative agenda outlining clear and specific objectives that the House intends to achieve and our legislative priorities. This clarity is already contributing to focusing the efforts and resources of the House and its committees on key issues while at the same time making the legislative process more efficient and effective.

“The House Agenda identifies eight priority areas, which have been carefully crafted to align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Executive and the yearnings of our constituents. The key areas of focus highlighted in the agenda are strengthening good governance, improving national security, economic growth and development, social sector reform and development, inclusion and open parliament, influencing/directing Nigeria’s foreign policy, and addressing climate change and environmental sustainability. The chosen thematic areas were aggregated in consultation with citizens.”