A coalition of federal lawmakers has mounted fresh pressure on the leadership of the National Assembly, calling for an urgent return from recess to confront what it described as deepening constitutional, fiscal and security challenges facing the country.

The legislators, drawn from different political parties and operating under the platform of the Save Nigeria Group, warned that critical national issues requiring legislative attention have been allowed to linger while parliament remains away from plenary.

At the centre of their concerns are allegations of persistent budget implementation failures, questions surrounding the passage of the State Police constitutional amendment proposal, claims of unaccounted public spending and what they described as inadequate funding for security agencies battling insecurity across the country.

In a statement released on Friday, the lawmakers argued that recent developments have raised serious questions about transparency, accountability and adherence to constitutional procedures within the nation's democratic institutions.

The statement was endorsed by lawmakers including Awaji-Inombek Abiante of Rivers State, Abubakar Kusada of Katsina State and Mansur Jega of Kebbi State, who said they were speaking on behalf of other concerned members of the House of Representatives.

The group dismissed suggestions that its position was politically motivated, insisting that its intervention was driven by concern over what it sees as growing institutional weaknesses and an increasing tendency to sidestep constitutional safeguards.

According to the lawmakers, democratic governance is threatened whenever legal procedures are sacrificed for convenience or political expediency.

One of the major issues highlighted by the coalition was the recent consideration of legislation seeking to establish state police across the country.

While expressing support for reforms aimed at improving security, the lawmakers questioned whether constitutional requirements were strictly followed during the legislative process that led to the bill's approval in the House of Representatives.

They argued that constitutional amendments require a clearly verifiable two-thirds majority and maintained that any doubts about compliance should be thoroughly addressed to protect the integrity of the amendment process.

The lawmakers also revisited the National Assembly's approval of emergency rule in Rivers State, claiming that the voting method used during the exercise raised concerns about compliance with constitutional provisions governing such decisions.

Beyond constitutional matters, the group devoted significant attention to the management of public finances.

The lawmakers expressed frustration over repeated reports of delayed releases of capital funds and the continued rollover of projects from one fiscal year to another.

According to them, the pattern has weakened budget credibility and made it increasingly difficult for citizens to assess government performance.

They argued that appropriations passed by the National Assembly should be implemented as approved and not selectively executed based on administrative preferences.

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The coalition further called for detailed disclosures showing how funds appropriated under the 2024, 2025 and 2026 budgets have been released and utilised by ministries, departments and agencies.

In addition, the lawmakers demanded a comprehensive investigation into allegations that substantial government expenditure may have occurred outside officially approved budget frameworks.

They insisted that every public expenditure must be traceable to lawful appropriations and subjected to legislative oversight.

The group also linked the budget controversy to the country's worsening security situation, arguing that inadequate release of funds to defence and security institutions may be affecting their operational effectiveness.

According to the lawmakers, security agencies require timely access to equipment, logistics and operational resources if they are to respond effectively to terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes.

They questioned reports suggesting that some government expenditures received priority funding while critical security allocations remained largely unreleased.

The lawmakers maintained that national security should rank among the highest priorities in government spending decisions, particularly at a time when several communities continue to face attacks from armed groups.

As part of their demands, the coalition called for an immediate parliamentary review of security funding and stronger oversight of how appropriated resources are being deployed.

They also urged the National Assembly leadership to convene lawmakers without delay, arguing that the gravity of the issues at stake requires urgent debate and legislative action.

According to the group, parliament must demonstrate its independence by actively scrutinising executive actions and ensuring that constitutional and fiscal standards are upheld.

The lawmakers warned that public confidence in democratic institutions could erode further if concerns about constitutional compliance, budget transparency and security funding are left unresolved.

They maintained that their intervention should not be viewed as opposition to government policies but as a defence of accountability, constitutional order and responsible governance.

The call for an emergency session comes amid increasing national conversations about security, economic management and the future direction of Nigeria's democratic institutions, placing additional pressure on the leadership of the National Assembly to respond to the concerns raised by the lawmakers.