RismadarVoice Reporters, March 11, 2026
The leadership of the National Assembly on Tuesday met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, shortly after both chambers resumed plenary following a brief recess.
Among those at the meeting were Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma.
The leaders arrived at the forecourt of the State House at about 3:30p.m. and departed roughly thirty minutes later, without speaking to journalists. The purpose of the meeting was not immediately made public.
Earlier in the day, both the Senate and the House of Representatives reconvened at 11a.m. after postponing their earlier resumption date of February 24 to allow committees complete budget defence sessions with ministries, departments and agencies.
The meeting between the President and the lawmakers came about a week after President Tinubu hosted senators and members of the House of Representatives to separate Ramadan Iftar dinners, where he urged the National Assembly to begin the process of amending the constitution to establish state police as part of efforts to tackle insecurity in the country.
Speaking during the Iftar with senators, Tinubu urged lawmakers to consider constitutional amendments that would enable states to take greater responsibility for security, including protecting forests and communities from criminal elements.
Meanwhile, during Tuesday’s plenary, Senate President Godswill Akpabio called on Nigerians to actively engage their elected representatives and hold them accountable on issues affecting their communities.
Akpabio described the Senate as a “workshop of solutions” rather than merely a theatre of debate, stressing that the upper legislative chamber remains committed to addressing national challenges through deliberate policy actions.
He also highlighted the importance of the national budget currently before the National Assembly, describing it as a key policy instrument that reflects the country’s development priorities and aspirations.
According to him, the budget goes beyond figures, noting that it represents a declaration of national intention and the direction of government’s development efforts.
