The House of Representatives has admonished Salihu Lukman, Progressives Congress, to cease his unnecessary criticism of the National Assembly and focus on issues of national importance.
According to report from punch, this warning followed Lukman's statement on July 2, in which he labeled the 10th Assembly as ineffective. Lukman argued that the lack of strong voices in the National Assembly has allowed the President and executive members to make harmful decisions unchecked. He cited the abrupt removal of the petroleum subsidy and the unplanned floating of the naira exchange rate as examples. Lukman criticized the decline in legislative standards over the past 25 years, attributing it to the weakening of party structures and the subordination of the National Assembly leadership to the President.
The House's Deputy Spokesman, Philip Agbese, rebuked Lukman, suggesting he was seeking political relevance. Agbese advised Lukman to adopt a more constructive and restrained approach befitting an elder statesman. He condemned Lukman’s repeated criticisms of the National Assembly leadership, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, as distractions from the country’s real issues. Agbese accused Lukman of fostering discord instead of contributing to national progress.
Agbese also questioned Lukman's record in public office, attributing his resignation from several positions to his political failures and inability to maintain political relationships. He emphasized that the 10th Assembly is dedicated to its constitutional role of holding the executive accountable, prioritizing patriotic and constructive engagement over conflict. Agbese asserted that unproductive friction between government branches hinders national progress. The National Assembly, he added, remains open to constructive criticism and feedback from well-meaning Nigerians, committed to serving the nation with integrity.