The National Assembly has once again postponed the resumption of plenary sessions, continuing a pattern of shifting legislative timelines that is beginning to raise questions about the pace and organization of parliamentary business.
Plenary had most recently been scheduled to resume on Thursday, 5 March 2026, after an earlier postponement shifted the resumption date from Tuesday, 24 February 2026 to 5 March, 2026. That timeline has now been adjusted again, with plenary expected to reconvene on 10 March 2026.
The repeated rescheduling reflects the legislature’s ongoing preoccupation with the 2026 Appropriation Bill, currently undergoing detailed scrutiny at the committee level.
When lawmakers returned from the Christmas and New Year recess in January, both chambers adjourned plenary for two weeks to enable standing committees conduct budget defense sessions with ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs). The objective was to fast-track committee-level examination of the budget proposals before the bill returns to plenary for final consideration.
However, lawmakers were compelled to reconvene briefly in February for the urgent consideration and passage of the Electoral Act 2026, after which plenary was adjourned again to February 24th.
On February 23, the leadership of the National Assembly announced another postponement of plenary to March 10. The adjustment was explained as necessary to allow committees conclude work on the 2026 budget defense process.
Under Section 63 of the 1999 Constitution, the National Assembly is expected to sit for a minimum of 181 days in a legislative year. The repeated postponements since January have therefore raised questions about whether the current legislative calendar can accommodate the required sitting days without compressing business later in the year.
For now, legislative work has remained largely concentrated at the committee level, with priority given to completing scrutiny of the 2026 budget.
When plenary eventually resumes on March 10, if it is not postponed further, lawmakers are likely to confront a crowded agenda. Top among the pending items are the final consideration and passage of the 2026 Appropriation Bill and deliberations on the ongoing constitutional amendment proposals.
The renewed national debate over state police may also feature prominently in legislative discussions as the constitutional review process progresses.
Meanwhile, both chambers are expected to hold a valedictory session in honor of Senator Barinada Mpigi, who died in February 2026. Until his demise, Senator Mpigi represented Rivers South-East Senatorial District and served as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Works.