Politics
Reps Pass S’East, S’West, N’Central, N’West Commission Bills
The House of Representatives, yesterday, passed bills seeking to establish a South-East Development Commission and a South-West Development Commission.
Equally passed were bills to establish a North-Central Development Commission and a North-West Development Commission.
The SEDC proposal is titled, ‘A Bill for an Act to Establish the South-East Development Commission to serve as a Catalyst to Develop the Commercial Potentials of the South East, Receive and Manage Funds from Allocation of the Federation for the Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Reparation for Houses and Lost Businesses of Victims of the Civil War, and Address any other Environmental or Developmental Challenges; and for Related Matters.’
The SWDC proposal is titled, ‘A Bill for an Act to Establish South–West Development Commission charged with Responsibility, among others, to Receive and Manage Funds from Allocation of the Federation Account, including Donations and Gifts, the Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of Roads, Houses and other Infrastructural Damages Suffered by the Region and the Need to Tackle the Ecological Problems and any other Related Environmental or Developmental Challenges in the South-West States; and for Related Matters.’
The NCDC proposal is titled, ‘A Bill for an Act to Establish North-Central Development Commission charged with Responsibility among other things to Receive and Manage Funds from Allocation of the Federation Account for the Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of Roads, Houses and Other Infrastructural damages suffered by the Region as a result of the effects of the Communal Crisis as well as tackle the Ecological Problems and any other Related Environmental or Developmental Challenges in the North-Central States; and for Related Matters.’
The NWDC proposal is titled, ‘A Bill for an Act to Establish North–West Development Commission charged with the responsibility, among other things, to receive and Manage Fund from Allocation of the Federation Account and International Donors for the Settlement, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Roads, Houses and Business Premises Destroyed by Multinational Crisis as well as Tackling Menace of Poverty, Literacy Level, Ecological Problems and any other Related Environmental or Developmental of Challenge in the North-West State; and for Related Matters.’
All the six geopolitical zones will now have development commissions, as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) already exists for the oil-producing states in the South-South and some in the South-East and South-West.
There is also the North-East Development Commission, which was established in the aftermath of Boko Haram insurgency in the geopolitical zone.
Speaker of the House, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, and 80 other lawmakers suspected to be members from Yoruba-speaking states, introduced a bill seeking to establish a South-West Development Commission.
The South-West Development Commission (Establishment) Bill 2019 passed the first reading at the plenary on December 11, 2019.
The South-West geopolitical zone has six states, namely Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti.
Later on December 17, 2019, the lawmaker representing Mbaitoli/Ikeduru Federal Constituency of Imo State, Hon Henry Nwawuba, introduced the South-East Development Commission (Establishment) Bill 2019, which passed the first reading.
The South-East zone has five states, namely Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi.
In the South-South, there are six states, namely Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Edo and Bayelsa.
Later on December 20, 2019, the South-South Development Commission (Establishment) Bill 2019 emerged in the House, sponsored by the lawmaker representing Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency of River State, Hon Awaji-Inombek Abiante.
The SSDC would be established despite the existence of the NDDC.
Though the NDDC covers all the states in the South-South, states in other geopolitical zones are under it, namely Ondo (South-West), Abia and Imo (both in the South-East).
Meanwhile, another member, Hon Uzoma Nkem-Abonta, earlier on December 18, 2019, added to the drama by introducing the Zonal Development Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2019 which the House has also admitted.
Similarly, the House of Representatives has insisted on the restriction of political parties to direct primary in the selection of candidates for elective public offices.
Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon Benjamin Kalu, stated that the amendment sought by the Speaker, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, to the Electoral Act 2010 (Amendment) Bill, to delete the options of indirect/delegates primary and consensus is a reflection of the yearnings of Nigerians.
Kalu, in a statement, yesterday, titled, ‘The Relevance of the Amended Clause 87 of the Electoral Act and the Re-Engineering of the Political Space, a Mileage of Our Democracy,’ listed reasons to justify the amendment.
The statement read, “This statement has become necessary to address the attacks against the leadership and members of the House of Representatives (House) regarding the intervention of the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila during the consideration of Clause 87 of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, which has now been adopted by the Senate.
“Nigeria’s nascent democracy has matured in these 22 years of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic. Without a doubt, the people are wiser, more informed, more engaged and yearn for a new political order that empowers them to reject unpopular or incompetent political aspirants.
“A popular yearning of Nigerians in the electoral reform process was the call to discard the delegate-based primary election method in favour of direct primaries.
“Following extensive stakeholder consultations and engagements on electoral reforms, it is clear to the leadership of the House that the delegate-based primary election method is not only unpopular, but is inefficient in producing credible candidates.”
It further read, “Indirect primaries have enabled godfatherism and the corruption attendant to this twisted form of aristocratic democracy. They have created a system where unpopular political candidates rely on buying delegates to vote them or their cronies at party primaries. This is antithetical to the aim of a diligent primary election which is to choose credible candidates that would most likely be acceptable to the electorates.
“Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila’s contribution to the amendment of Clause 87 of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill is reflective of the agitations of the people.
“The House wishes to remind all political players that direct primary is in the best interest of our democratic advancement as a nation. The conduct of party elections by direct primary remains the most transparent mode of nominating a candidate in any election.
“It marks a true return of power to the people. It is more participatory, creating a level playing ground for all aspirants and allowing the emergence of popular candidates. Direct primaries will increase the participation of women and youth in the political process. It will help check godfatherism, enhance intra-party democracy and reduce the commercialisation of elections in Nigeria.”
Kalu stated that the House was pleased that the Senate had agreed with its position on direct primary as well as the electronic transmission of election results.
“The harmonization of both chambers of the National Assembly on these issues is a clear indication of the maturing of our democracy,” he said.
The Senate yesterday received the 2026-2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper from President Bola Tinubu, marking the formal launch of the 2026 federal budget cycle.
In a letter addressed to the upper chamber, Tinubu said the submission complies with statutory requirements and sets out the fiscal parameters that will guide the preparation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
He explained that the MTEF/FSP outlines the macroeconomic assumptions, revenue projections, and spending priorities that will shape Nigeria’s fiscal direction over the next three years.
The letter was read during plenary by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), who urged lawmakers to expedite consideration of the document.
“It is with pleasure that I forward the 2026 to 2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper for the kind consideration and approval of the Senate.
“The 2026 to 2028 MTEF and FSP were approved during the Federal Executive Council meeting of December 3, 2025, and the 2026 budget of the Federal Government will be prepared based on the parameters and fiscal assumptions therein,” the President stated.
Last week, the Federal Executive Council approved the fiscal projections, pegging the oil benchmark price at $64.85 per barrel and adopting a budget exchange rate of ?1,512/$1 for 2026—figures expected to significantly shape revenue forecasts and expenditure planning.
After reading the President’s letter, Jibrin referred the document to the Senate Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), with a directive to submit its report by Wednesday, December 17.
The Senate adjourned shortly after to allow committees to commence scrutiny of the fiscal framework and continue the ongoing screening of ambassadorial nominees.
Tinubu’s communication to the Senate came less than 24 hours after he transmitted the same MTEF/FSP documents to the leadership of the House of Representatives.
The letter was read on the House floor by the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who also urged timely legislative action as required by law.
The MTEF and FSP are statutory instruments mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act and serve as the blueprint for Nigeria’s annual budgets.
They outline the government’s fiscal stance, macroeconomic assumptions, revenue frameworks, projected deficits, and sectoral priorities over a three-year period.
The Tide reports that approval by the National Assembly is a prerequisite for the executive to present the Appropriation Bill for the next fiscal year.
In a statement on Saturday, the former Senate Leader stated that the allocation of nominees across states and geopolitical zones falls short of the constitutional requirement for fair representation in the composition of the Federal Government.
The ex-Senate Whip warned that allowing the list to pass could deepen ethnic suspicion at a time when the administration should be consolidating national unity.
He highlighted disparities in the spread of nominees, noting that while some states have three or four slots, others have none. He also cited the inclusion of Senator Adamu Garba Talba from Yobe, who reportedly died in July.
“The entire North-East states have seven nominees in the list. Further checks revealed that the South-West geo-political zone has 15 nominees, while North-West and South-East have 13 and 9, respectively.
“North-Central region has 10 nominees in the list of career and non-career ambassadorial nominee while South-South parades 12 nominees,” Senator Ndume said.
According to him, such imbalances could heighten tensions and undermine Section 14(3) of the Constitution.
“My sincere appeal to President Tinubu is to withdraw this list. At this critical juncture in his administration, he should avoid missteps that could undermine national unity and foster ethnic distrust.
“I know him to be a cosmopolitan leader who is at home with every segment and stakeholder in the country. He should withdraw that list and present a fresh set of nominees that will align with the spirit of the Constitution on the Federal Character Principle,” Senator Ndume added.
He accused the legislators of undermining the sanctity of the legislature and acting as instruments of destabilization.
“The members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have, by their actions since they assumed office, shown that they are political puppets and a clog in the wheels of democratic progress,” Comrade Ememobong stated, adding that “They will go down in history as enemies of democracy and those who made mockery of the legislature.”
“So the easiest way to describe their action is a defection from APC to APC,” he said.
Comrade Ememobong announced that the party would deploy constitutional provisions to reclaim its mandate from those who have “ignobly and surreptitiously” abandoned the platform on which they were elected.
“Consequently, the PDP will take legal steps to activate the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as amended) to recover the mandate gained under the banner of our party which these people have now switched to another platform,” he said.
He urged party members in Rivers State to remain calm and steadfast.
“We urge all party members in Rivers State to remain faithful and resolute, as efforts are underway to rebuild the party along the path of inclusiveness, fairness and equity,” Comrade Ememobong assured.
