2026: CISLAC Urges Lawmakers To Deliver Tangible Results, Shun Early Electioneering
By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna
As the National Assembly reconvenes for the 2026 legislative session, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has called on the 10th National Assembly to recommit itself to governance, accountability, and far-reaching reforms, cautioning against premature political maneuvering ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
In a statement issued on Monday, CISLAC’s Executive Director, Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani), described 2026 as a critical and defining year for both the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the current legislature.
He stressed that Nigerians now expect concrete and measurable outcomes from policies and programmes initiated since 2023.
According to Rafsanjani, while citizens exercised patience during the early phase of the administration, often attributing prevailing socio-economic and democratic challenges to the usual teething problems of a new government, 2026 represents a period of institutional maturity.
“This is the stage at which policies must begin to yield visible and measurable benefits to Nigerians,” he said. “The role of the National Assembly in ensuring this outcome cannot be overstated.”
CISLAC expressed concern that 2026 falls just ahead of the 2027 General Elections, a period historically marked by reduced legislative productivity due to heightened political activities.
The organisation warned that public anxiety could worsen if proposals to hold general elections as early as November 2026 are pursued.
“Nigerians are rightly worried that governance may once again be sacrificed on the altar of politicking and electioneering,” Rafsanjani noted.
“At a time when the country is contending with severe economic hardship, escalating insecurity, rising public debt, governance deficits, and declining public trust in institutions, Nigeria cannot afford a distracted or compromised legislature.”
The advocacy group emphasized that the nation’s current challenges demand a fully functional, responsive, and accountable National Assembly, rather than one perceived as absentee, politically preoccupied, or reduced to a rubber stamp for the executive.
Outlining its expectations for the 2026 legislative year, CISLAC identified several priority areas for lawmakers.
The organisation urged legislators to demonstrate greater commitment to plenary sittings, committee work, and oversight duties, warning against frequent absences and prolonged recesses driven by political ambitions.
CISLAC also called for the accelerated passage of critical legislative reforms, particularly in the areas of electoral processes, economic governance, security, and institutional reforms. Drawing lessons from the 2023 general elections, the group stressed that electoral reform remains a core demand of Nigerians and should not be further delayed.
Additionally, CISLAC underscored the importance of strengthened legislative oversight to enhance transparency and accountability, especially in budget implementation, public procurement, and the management of public resources. Rafsanjani warned that failure to exercise robust oversight would deepen public perceptions of the National Assembly as a rubber stamp institution and risk making it an early casualty of the 2027 election cycle.
“Nigerians elected lawmakers to legislate and provide oversight, not to abandon governance long before the official campaign period,” Rafsanjani said.
“The legislature is the backbone of any democratic system, and in 2026, the National Assembly must rise to this responsibility with integrity, discipline, and a clear commitment to the public interest.”
CISLAC reaffirmed its readiness to engage constructively with the National Assembly and other stakeholders to advance reforms aimed at strengthening democracy, accountability, and good governance in Nigeria.
