•Tax law, Rivers’ emergency rule, others tested Speaker’s leadership, says Agbese
•Abbas urges Nigerians to renew hope in 2026

The Senate has thrown its weight behind the establishment of state police, a National Youth Stabilisation Fund, and a technology-driven intelligence system to confront insecurity across the country.

It warned that Nigeria’s security agencies were battling complex, modern threats with outdated structures and limited coordination.

The controversy surrounding alleged discrepancies in Nigeria’s newly gazetted tax laws was one of the major leadership tests faced by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, in 2025, the Deputy Spokesperson of the House, Philip Agbese, has said.

However, Tajudeen has felicitated with Nigerians as they usher in the new year, 2026, urging citizens to remain resolute, steadfast and hopeful in the journey ahead.

The Senate’s recommendations are contained in an interim report of its Ad hoc Committee on National Security, following zonal public hearings across the six geopolitical zones. The committee identified poverty, youth unemployment, porous borders, illegal mining, drug abuse, intelligence gaps and governance failures as the core drivers of Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.

The hearings, conducted between November 16 and 30, 2025, took place in Maiduguri, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Lagos, Jos and Kaduna, and drew submissions from security agencies, traditional rulers, civil society groups and community leaders. The findings will inform the National Security Summit, scheduled for early 2026.

At the heart of the report is a call for a constitutional amendment to allow state police, with the committee arguing that the centralised policing structure has become overstretched and ineffective.

According to the panel, governors and local council chairmen—designated as chief security officers in their states—lack operational control over security assets, leaving communities vulnerable.

“The safety, dignity and protection of Nigerians should not be privileges reserved for the elite,” the report stated.

Committee Chairman and Senate Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, said the hearings reflected a rare nationwide consensus on the urgency of reform.

IN a chat yesterday, Agbese said the dispute—triggered by claims that the gazetted tax laws differed from versions passed by the National Assembly—placed the 10th House under intense public scrutiny and raised questions about the legislative process.

According to him, the manner in which the House leadership responded to the issue helped prevent it from escalating into a broader institutional crisis.

“The tax law issue was a serious test. It attracted public attention and could have destabilised the House. The leadership ensured it was handled within parliamentary rules and procedures,” Agbese said.

The controversy was formally raised on the floor of the House by Abdulsammad Dasuki, prompting debate among lawmakers and concern outside the legislature.

Beyond the tax bill dispute, Agbese said the House also faced other internal pressures during the year, including tensions over recruitment into the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC).
Agbese further cited the House’s consideration of the declaration of emergency in Rivers State as another sensitive moment, stressing that deliberations were guided by constitutional provisions and the Standing Orders.

“As we move into 2026, the expectation is that the House will strengthen its internal processes, having drawn lessons from the controversies of the past year,” he added.

The Speaker, in his New Year message through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, charged Nigerians to renew their hope in 2026 and continue to work together for the unity and progress of the nation.

Abbas noted that 2025, though challenging, also recorded commendable strides in good governance and improvement in national security, as security agencies intensified their efforts to restore peace across the country.

He acknowledged the resilience of Nigerians, describing it as a driving force that keeps the nation moving forward despite difficulties.

The Speaker called on Nigerians to work together, across all faiths, regions and political affiliations, in building a prosperous and peaceful nation.

Looking ahead, Abbas reaffirmed the legislature’s commitment to enacting people-oriented laws that will further enhance economic stability, promote inclusiveness, and ensure the security and welfare of all Nigerians in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.