As the 10th National Assembly prepares to resume for 2026, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) urged it to prioritise governance, accountability, and reforms, warning against early electioneering ahead of the 2027 poll.

In a statement on Monday, CISLAC executive director Auwal Rafsanjani described 2026 as a defining year for both President Bola Tinubu’s administration and the current legislature.

According to him, Nigerians now expect tangible outcomes from policies and programmes introduced since 2023.

“While citizens have shown patience in the early phase of this administration, often attributing prevailing socio-economic and democratic challenges to teething problems of a new government, 2026 naturally marks a period of maturity.

“This is the stage at which policies must begin to deliver visible and measurable benefits to Nigerians, and the role of the National Assembly in achieving this cannot be overstated,” Mr Rafsanjani said.

CISLAC expressed concern that 2026 precedes the 2027 general elections, a period historically associated with declining legislative productivity due to heightened political activities.

The organisation warned that public anxiety could deepen if the proposal to conduct general elections as early as November 2026 was pursued.

“Nigerians are worried, and rightly so, that governance may once again be sacrificed on the altar of politicking and electioneering.

“At a time when the country is grappling with economic hardship, worsening insecurity, rising public debt, governance deficits, and declining public trust in institutions, Nigeria cannot afford a distracted or compromised legislature,” Mr Rafsanjani noted.

According to CISLAC, the current national challenges demand a fully functional, responsive, and accountable National Assembly, rather than one perceived as absentee, politically distracted, or a rubber stamp for the executive.

As part of its expectations for the 2026 legislative year, CISLAC outlined key priority areas for lawmakers.

CISLAC urged lawmakers to remain committed to plenary sessions, committee engagements, and oversight responsibilities, warning against frequent absences and unnecessary recesses driven by political ambitions.

The organisation also called for the fast-tracking of critical legislative reforms, particularly electoral, economic, security, and governance-related bills.

Drawing lessons from the 2023 general elections, CISLAC stressed that electoral reform remained a core demand of Nigerians and must not be delayed.

CISLAC further emphasised the need for strengthened legislative oversight to promote transparency and accountability, especially in budget implementation, public procurement, and the management of public funds.

Mr Rafsanjani warned that failure to exercise robust oversight would reinforce the public perception of the National Assembly as a rubber-stamp institution.

(NAN)