By Paul Effiong,Abuja
President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, on Tuesday said the National Assembly remains committed to transparency and accountability, noting that informed public scrutiny strengthens democratic governance. Speaking at the opening of the 2026 National Assembly Open Week in Abuja, Akpabio said Parliament should remain open to public questions and engagement.
He also expressed support for the Senate and the House of Representatives jointly organising future editions of the annual Open Week from 2027 to further promote interaction between the legislature and the public. According to him, Parliament belongs to all Nigerians and should remain accessible and accountable.”Parliament should never fear informed criticism.
Questions strengthen democracy. Transparency strengthens legitimacy,” Akpabio said. He added that constructive public engagement contributes to stronger democratic institutions and effective law-making.The Senate President also commended the cordial working relationship between the Senate and the House of Representatives over the past three years, describing both chambers as complementary institutions working towards national development.
He expressed optimism that a unified National Assembly Open Week beginning in 2027 would further enhance transparency and strengthen public confidence in the legislature. In his remarks, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon.Tajudeen Abbas, said the 10th House recognises constructive criticism as an important element of effective law-making.
He observed that informed public engagement enriches the legislative process and contributes to better governance. Abbas disclosed that since its inauguration in 2023, the House has received 2,747 bills, passed 363, while 72 have received presidential assent. He described the legislative output as the highest recorded by any National Assembly since 1999. According to the Speaker, laws enacted during the period include the Student Loan Act, tax and revenue reform legislation, as well as measures establishing development commissions across the country’s geopolitical zones. He also disclosed that the House has received more than 800 public petitions, with many successfully resolved through legislative processes.
Abbas said the House remains focused on enacting quality legislation, strengthening oversight and supporting budgetary interventions aimed at improving governance and national development. He reiterated the commitment of the House to transparency, accountability and institutional reforms in collaboration with other arms of government.
The opening ceremony of the 2026 National Assembly Open Week was attended by several dignitaries, including the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Health, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate; Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Mrs Ngozi Nma Odu; former Speakers Aminu Bello Masari, Patricia Etteh and Yakubu Dogara; former Deputy Speakers Bayero Nafada, Emeka Ihedioha and Babangida Nguroje; and the Emir of Zazzau, Amb. Ahmad Nuhu Bamalli.
Also in attendance were the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery; European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot; Executive Secretary of the National Assembly Library Trust Fund, Hon. Henry Nwawuba; Executive Director of PLAC, Clement Nwankwo; as well as representatives of development partners, including International IDEA, Yiaga Africa, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, FCDO, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, and the Nigerian Economic Summit Group.
