Follow Us on Google
From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Philip Agbese, has said that 2025 was a defining year for the parliament.
Agbese, who spoke in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, said the House came under intense pressure from within and outside in the outgoing year, noting that some of the issues that confronted the parliament could have torn the Green Chamber apart in previous assemblies.
Nonetheless, he noted that the House surmounted all the challenges and remains firmly committed to strengthening Nigeria’s democracy, owing to the leadership style of the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas.
The lawmaker listed the Rivers State state of emergency, the raging controversy over alleged alteration of the tax laws, and issues surrounding the recruitment into the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) as delicate matters that confronted the House in 2025.
According to him, “there were issues in 2025 that, if it were to be in the past, would have broken the unity of the House. But under Speaker Abbas, those issues did not escalate because he placed the institution above personal or sectional interests.
Other News
“Despite the many challenges we encountered in 2025, Speaker Abbas justified his leadership. He proved that leadership is not about convenience, but about standing on truth and making sacrifices for the collective good of the institution and the country.”
He added that “On the issue of the state of emergency in Rivers State, our rule book was our guiding principle. Speaker Abbas ensured that emotions were set aside and that decisions were taken in line with the Constitution and the Standing Orders of the House.”
Furthermore, the deputy spokesman assured that the Green Chamber is determined to continue to play its role as a stabilising force in Nigeria’s democracy.
“The House of Representatives is determined to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy. That resolve was evident throughout 2025, even in the face of challenges and as we return in 2026, we hope to do more in deepening our democracy,” he said.
