Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, called for stronger collaboration between the National Assembly and civil society organisations to strengthen legislative oversight and ensure government decisions deliver tangible benefits to Nigerians.
Dogara made the call while speaking at the National Assembly Open Week in Abuja, where he said that despite 25 years of uninterrupted democratic governance, many Nigerians were yet to feel the full impact of decisions taken by the legislature.
He questioned the persistent gap between what the National Assembly approves and what citizens eventually receive, stressing that the primary purpose of legislative oversight is to expose corruption, inefficiency and poor governance.
According to him, oversight should go beyond fulfilling constitutional requirements and serve as an effective tool for promoting accountability and ensuring value for public resources.
Dogara commended the leadership of the House of Representatives, led by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, for promoting greater public participation through the National Assembly Open Week.
He described the initiative as a bold step that provides lawmakers with an opportunity to engage directly with civil society organisations, the media and the public.
The former Speaker warned that legislative oversight would lose its relevance if it became a ceremonial exercise rather than a mechanism for safeguarding the interests of Nigerians.
He urged lawmakers to regard civil society organisations as strategic partners in strengthening democratic institutions, noting that they often possess valuable grassroots information unavailable to legislators.
According to Dogara, civil society groups serve as the “eyes and ears” of the legislature by monitoring projects and providing credible evidence of implementation gaps.
He recalled backing the inclusion of civil society monitors during budget defence sessions despite opposition from some lawmakers, insisting that institutions that fear public scrutiny ultimately weaken public confidence.
Dogara identified the disconnect between budget approvals and project implementation as one of Nigeria’s major governance challenges, describing it as a failure of accountability rather than underdevelopment.
He urged the National Assembly to monitor budget implementation with the same level of commitment devoted to passing appropriation bills.
The former Speaker also called on the executive arm of government to embrace transparency and constructive engagement with oversight institutions, while urging civil society organisations to present verified evidence and credible data capable of informing legislative action.
He further called on the National Assembly to institutionalise its partnership with civil society beyond annual events, saying sustained collaboration would strengthen accountability and deepen democratic governance.
Dogara maintained that democracy thrives where institutions embrace scrutiny and accountability, urging lawmakers, parliamentary staff and civil society organisations to work together to ensure government policies and projects deliver meaningful benefits to Nigerians.
