The next general election of 1890 saw Nāwahī's return to the legislature. He ran as a National Reform party member and won the seat for the district of South Hilo. During this session, he became a supporter of Kalākaua and later his successor Queen Liliʻuokalani. In this session, Nāwahī joined with many other leading National Reform politicians in calling for a constitutional convention to draft a replacement to the existing Bayonet Constitution. A bill was drafted and submitted by Representative Kalua. However, when the constitutional convention bill went up for the vote of the legislature on October 1, it was defeated by a vote of 24 to 16.