In a sweeping directive that has caught many lawmakers off guard, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has ordered the immediate dissolution of all ad hoc committees established under the 10th Assembly, effectively terminating their mandates with immediate effect.
The surprise move, which takes retroactive effect from Friday, August 28, 2026, was communicated to legislators via an internal memorandum signed by the Clerk of the House, Sidi Ibrahim. The directive brings to a close the operations of every temporary committee, including the high-profile panel chaired by Yusuf Gagdi, which was investigating the contentious inclusion of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
According to the memorandum titled “Dissolution of all Ad hoc Committees of the House of Representatives,” the decision was triggered by the failure of most committees to conclude their assignments within the stipulated timelines. The leadership noted that while two committees had previously requested and received a two-week extension in line with Order Eighteen Rule 5 of the House Standing Orders, that grace period had since expired without meaningful resolutions.
The memo read in part: “I am directed by the Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, to inform all Honourable Members that all Ad Hoc Committees of the House stand dissolved with immediate effect.
“This directive is sequel to earlier announcements urging Ad Hoc Committees to conclude their assignments and submit their reports in line with the Rules and established practice of the House. Following those announcements, only two Ad Hoc Committees sought and were granted extension of time in compliance with Order Eighteen Rule 5 of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives.
The two-week extension granted has since elapsed. “For the avoidance of doubt, Honourable Members are reminded that Ad Hoc Committees are temporary Committees of the House established for specific and time-bound mandates. They are not intended to subsist indefinitely beyond the purpose and period for which they were constituted.
Citing Order Eighteen, Rule 11, Paragraph 5 of the House Standing Orders, the leadership emphasized that ad hoc committees are temporary bodies established for specific, time-bound purposes and are not designed to exist indefinitely. The rule explicitly limits the duration within which such committees must submit their reports.
The memorandum further stated: “Having exceeded the time allotted, the continued existence of the Ad Hoc Committees is no longer tenable… activities being carried out in the name of such Committees shall cease forthwith.”
Notably, the dissolution puts an end to the Gagdi-led committee’s investigation into the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council—a probe that had generated significant public interest and political tension. The panel’s work, along with all other ongoing inquiries, has now been formally terminated.
In a final administrative directive, the Speaker ordered all committee chairmen to forward outstanding reports, working documents, records, and other materials related to their assignments to the Office of the Clerk for safekeeping. The move suggests a push for accountability and a desire to preserve legislative records despite the abrupt termination of the committees.
