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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

2027: Can Akpabio’s Balancing Act Carry Nigeria’s 10th National Assembly Through Its Final Stretch?

From ThisDay · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Analysis Named sources Ongoing story
  • Senate President Godswill Akpabio says Nigeria’s federal lawmakers will continue legislative work while campaigning ahead of the 2027 general elections.
  • The National Assembly is due to resume in September 2026 with constitutional review, electoral reforms, state police, women’s representation and other pending work before it.
  • Akpabio says lawmakers can hold political engagements in the afternoons and evenings while attending to parliamentary duties in the mornings.

Nigeria’s 10th National Assembly is heading toward a politically sensitive final stretch, with lawmakers expected to campaign for the 2027 elections while handling a demanding legislative agenda.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has rejected the idea that electioneering will bring parliamentary work to a halt. Speaking to journalists at the Presidential Wing of Victor Attah International Airport in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, he said lawmakers were elected for four-year terms and remained responsible for working throughout their mandates.

We are elected for four years and we are going to work for four years. Anybody that is walking on the tiny rope must be able to do the balancing act.

— Godswill AkpabioThe Senate president said lawmakers must continue carrying out their constitutional duties during the election period.

“We are elected for four years and we are going to work for four years. Anybody that is walking on the tiny rope must be able to do the balancing act,” Akpabio said.

He argued that the competing duties could be organized around the parliamentary timetable. “We are politicians and campaigns would start very soon. Campaigns can be fixed in the afternoons or evenings while we do our work in the mornings,” he said.

The National Assembly is scheduled to return from its long annual recess in September 2026. At that point, the Senate and House of Representatives are expected to face unfinished work on constitutional review, electoral reforms, state police, women’s representation and other legislative issues.

We are politicians and campaigns would start very soon. Campaigns can be fixed in the afternoons or evenings while we do our work in the mornings.

— Godswill AkpabioAkpabio described how lawmakers could schedule campaigns around parliamentary work.

The challenge will extend beyond whether lawmakers can physically attend sittings during the campaign period. Many will also be seeking party nominations, defending their seats or pursuing different political ambitions. That could test the consistency and quality of the Assembly’s work as the election approaches.

Akpabio remains confident that politics and legislation can proceed together. “It is not everybody that will go for campaign at the same time because we belong to different political parties. Nothing will affect legislation,” he said.

It is not everybody that will go for campaign at the same time because we belong to different political parties. Nothing will affect legislation.

— Godswill AkpabioHe argued that staggered campaigning would prevent electoral politics from disrupting legislation.
About this summary

Originally published by ThisDay in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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