Morganable Politics/Legislative Affairs
The group further questioned the value Nigerians were deriving from what it described as the most expensive legislature in the country’s history
kaNo —
The National Assembly of Nigeria is facing growing public criticism following allegations of frequent recesses and lack of transparency in lawmakers’ attendance, with civil society groups warning that the trend could undermine accountability and effective governance.
The concerns were raised by the AdvoKC Foundation, which accused the 10th National Assembly of adopting what it described as a “perpetual recess culture” at a time when Nigeria is grappling with pressing socio-economic and security challenges.
In a statement issued by its Communications Manager, Luqman Adamu, the organisation argued that the Senate and the House of Representatives had spent more time on recess than in active legislative sessions.
Adamu said the pattern raises serious concerns about whether the legislature is fulfilling its constitutional duties of lawmaking, oversight and appropriation.
He noted that while recess periods are necessary for constituency engagement and committee work, they should not become the dominant feature of legislative activity.
“It is a question of whether the institution constitutionally charged with lawmaking, oversight, and appropriation is actually doing its job,” he said.
It argued that despite record funding, there appears to be a decline in plenary activity, raising doubts about productivity and efficiency.
“The 10th Assembly carries the highest budget in Nigeria’s legislative history, yet the correlation between funding and floor time has moved in the wrong direction,” Adamu stated.
“Nigerians are entitled to ask a simple question: what, exactly, are lawmakers being paid record sums to do, if not to legislate and sit in session?”
Criticism Comes Amidst Worsening Economic Conditions
The criticism comes amid worsening economic conditions across the country, including rising inflation, high cost of living and persistent insecurity in several regions.
AdvoKC said the legislature’s prolonged absence from plenary sessions sends the wrong signal at a time when urgent policy responses are needed.
In addition to concerns about recess frequency, the organisation accused the National Assembly of resisting transparency by failing to disclose lawmakers’ attendance records.
It revealed that it had submitted a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2011 on June 19, 2026, seeking details of attendance, absences, apologies and voting participation of lawmakers from June 2023 to June 2026.
CSO Accuses NA Of Not Responding To Civic Demands
According to Adamu, although the request was acknowledged on the same day, the National Assembly failed to respond within the seven-day period stipulated by law.
The group subsequently issued a notice of non-compliance on July 9, warning that continued failure to respond would amount to a deemed refusal.
The National Assembly eventually replied on July 24 through its Legal Services Directorate, stating that the requested information constituted “evidence of proceedings” protected under the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act 2017 and could only be released with the authorisation of the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, or relevant committee chairman.
However, AdvoKC rejected the explanation, insisting that attendance records are administrative in nature and do not fall under privileged legislative proceedings. The organisation argued that shielding such information undermines transparency and public trust.
“Attendance is not a record of parliamentary opinion, negotiation, or deliberative content. It is a roll call,” the statement said. “Treating it as a privileged proceeding stretches a doctrine designed to protect free debate into a shield for basic accountability.”
It argued that those whose attendance may be in question should not be responsible for deciding whether the information becomes public.
AdvoKC warned that the combination of frequent recesses and lack of transparency portrays a legislature that is “increasingly comfortable being seen without being scrutinised.
” It called for the immediate release of attendance records, as well as the routine publication of plenary attendance on a quarterly basis.
The organisation also demanded a detailed account of the proportion of time the National Assembly has spent on recess compared to plenary sessions since its inauguration in June 2023.
It vowed to pursue legal action under Section 20 of the FOI Act and continue tracking the issue through its PromiseTracker.ng platform.
“Nigerians are not asking the National Assembly to explain its politics. They are asking it to confirm whether it showed up,” Adamu added.
CSo Urges Lawmakers To Prioritise Health Financing
Meanwhile, another civil society coalition has urged the legislature to prioritise health financing and strengthen oversight of public health programmes.
The Civil Society for the Eradication of Tuberculosis in Nigeria made the call during a National Advocacy-Focused Media Dissemination Meeting held in Abuja.
These include frequent stock-outs of essential medicines, shortages of skilled healthcare workers, weak infrastructure and limited access to quality care in underserved communities.
Speaking at the event, Senior Programme Manager of the Civil Society for Malaria Control, Immunisation and Nutrition, Fatima Kolo, said findings from community-led monitoring initiatives show persistent gaps in service delivery despite some progress.
She explained that through the Integrated Community-Led Monitoring initiative, networks including TBNETWORK, NEPWHAN and ACOMIN have worked closely with communities to gather data on the realities of accessing healthcare services.
According to Kolo, while improvements have been recorded in some areas, systemic challenges continue to hinder effective service delivery.
She stressed that addressing these issues requires sustained investment, stronger collaboration among stakeholders and increased accountability within the health system.
The group urged lawmakers to support policies that ensure sustainable funding for health programmes and improve oversight mechanisms to guarantee efficient use of resources.
It also called for measures to reduce out-of-pocket expenses and transportation costs, which often discourage patients from seeking care.
As civil society organisations intensify their calls for greater accountability and responsiveness from the National Assembly, observers say the legislature faces mounting pressure to demonstrate its commitment to transparency, effective governance and the welfare of Nigerians.
