The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas called for a deliberate effort to support the return of committed and performing legislators in the 2027 elections.
He added that together — the executive and the legislature can sustain this path and complete the work they have begun.
Abbas made the call on Friday in Abuja at the 8th National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Speaker noted: “What kind of country do we want to be? A country that retreats at the first sign of difficulty, or a country that confronts its challenges with courage and purpose? A party that follows the easy road, or a party that leads with discipline and direction?
“We chose the difficult road, and we must remain on it. When this administration came into office, it inherited an economy weighed down by unsustainable commitments, a system stretched by inefficiencies, and a structure that could no longer support the aspirations of the Nigerian people.
“The choice before us was clear: continue with what was convenient, or confront what was necessary. We chose what was necessary.
We chose reform over comfort. We chose responsibility over applause. We chose the future over the present moment.
“Yes, the critics have spoken. They point to rising costs and economic adjustments. They question the path. But I ask: what was the alternative? To continue a system that drained our resources? To postpone the inevitable? To pass the burden to the next generation?”
The Speaker said that no nation moves forward by avoiding its challenges, adding that no economy grows by ignoring its weaknesses and no leadership succeeds by choosing comfort over correction.
He stressed that today, the foundations are being reset, revenues to states have improved, transparency has increased, while infrastructure is advancing.
Abbas stated: “Security coordination is strengthening. These are not isolated steps.
They are part of a clear direction. Reform is not a sprint. Reform is a journey. Reform is a commitment. And that commitment requires continuity.
“This is why I say that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must continue this work beyond 2027. Not for sentiment. Not for convenience. But because the work has begun, and it must be completed.
“Because the foundation has been laid, and it must be built upon. Because the path has been chosen, and it must be sustained. And if we are to sustain that path, continuity must not be limited to the executive alone. It must extend to the legislature.”
Abbas, however, noted that as they commit to continuity at the executive level, they must also secure stability within the legislature.
He said the high turnover of Senators and Members over the years has come at a cost to governance, to lawmaking, and to public resources spent on constant training and retraining.
The Speaker noted: “Experience is lost. Institutional memory is weakened. Momentum is broken. We cannot continue to start every cycle afresh and expect consistent progress. The legislature is not separate from this journey. It is a partner in it. We legislate for the same reforms. We oversee the same programmes. We defend the same national interest.
“I therefore urge deliberate efforts to support the return of committed and performing legislators, so that together, the executive and the legislature can sustain this path and complete the work we have begun. This is the discipline of progress. This is how nations move forward without losing ground.
“We cannot change direction in the middle of the journey. We cannot abandon progress halfway. We cannot trade certainty for uncertainty. Our task as a party is clear. We must translate strength into results. We must translate policy into impact. We must translate leadership into trust.
“Where we govern, we must deliver. Where we lead, we must show results. Where we stand, we must stand together.”