ABUJA — Almost one year after they were inaugurated, no fewer than 24 of the 109 senators drawn from all parts of the country are yet to sponsor any bill in the upper chamber of the National Assembly. However, each of the other 85 senators has at least one bill to his or her name.
The 10th Senate, which was inaugurated on June 13, 2023, will be one year on Thursday. A review of the activities of the 109 senators with regard to sponsoring of bills shows that 279 bills were sponsored between July 13, 2023, and March 2024.
Lawmaking is one of the statutory and primary functions of legislators.
The Senate is made up of 109 members of which 14 were former governors until two — Senators David Umahi (APC, Ebonyi South), and Ibrahim Geidam (APC, Yobe East) were appointed Ministers of Works, and Police Affairs respectively by President Bola Tinubu.
The number of former governors in the Red Chamber increased with the coming of former Plateau State governor, Senator Simon Lalong (APC, Plateau South) who was sworn in as a senator in December 2023 to replace Senator Napoleon Bali (PDP, Plateau South) after a judgment of the Appeal Court.
Recall that Senators Ani, Dachungyang and Mustapha were inaugurated into the Senate very late after the lawmakers took off. While Ani replaced Umahi, Dachungyang replaced the former Minority Leader, Mwadkwon Simon Davou, and Mustapha replaced Ibrahim Geidam.
Ex-governors in the Senate
Former governors currently in the 10th Senate are 13. They are Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North); Senate President Godswill Akpabio (APC, Akwa Ibom North West); Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa West), Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North), Ibrahim Dankwambo (PDP, Gombe North), Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe Central), Adamu Aliero (PDP, Kebbi Central), Sani Bello (APC, Niger North), Gbenga Daniel (APC, Ogun East), Aminu Tambuwal (PDP, Sokoto South), Aliyu Wammako (APC, Sokoto North), Simon Lalong (APC, Plateau South), and Abdulaziz Yari (APC, Zamfara West).
Among the 13 former governors, nine sponsored bills within the period under review. They are Orji Uzor Kalu, five bills; Senate President Godswill Akpabio, two; Senator Gbenga Daniel, APC, Ogun East, four; Senator Dankwambo, three; Aminu Tambuwal, one; Sani Bello, three; Danjuma Goje, two; Wammako, two; and Adamu Aliero, one.
Ex-governors yet to sponsor bills
Former governors, who are yet to present any bill during this period under review are Senators Adams Oshiomhole, Henry Seriake Dickson, Simon Lalong, and Abdulaziz Yari.
While Senator Umahi, sponsored one bill before he left, Senator Geidam did not sponsor any bill prior to his leaving the Senate.
No show lawmakers
The 24 senators apart from the four former governors who are yet to sponsor any bill are Senators Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe North), Victor Umeh (LP, Anambra Central), Oluwole Fasuyi Cyril (APC, Ekiti North), Titus Tartenger Zam (APC, Benue North-West), Peter Jiya (PDP, Niger South), Adegbonmire Adeniyi Ayodele (APC, Ondo Central), Oyewumi Kamorudeen Olalere (PDP, Osun West), Anthony Ani (APC, Ebonyi South), Imasuen Neda Bernards (LP, Edo South); Okechukwu Ezea (LP, Enugu North), Chukwu Chizoba (LP, Enugu East), Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central), Khabeeb Mustapha (PDP, Jigawa South West), and Kaila Samaila Dahuwa (PDP, Bauchi North).
The rest are Senators Rufai Hanga (NNPP, Kano Central), Abdulaziz Yar’Adua (APC, Katsina Central), Mohammed Dandutse Muntari (APC, Katsina South), Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA, Abia South), Pam Dachungyang (ADP, Plateau North); Onyesoh Allwell Heacho, (PDP, Rivers East); Ibrahim Lamido (APC, Sokoto East), Manu Haruna (PDP, Taraba Central) and Musa Mustapha (APC, Yobe East).
How other senators fared
The Senate leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC , Ekiti Central) has the highest number of bills with 23, most of which are from the Executive Arm of government. Bamidele is followed by the Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North) with 17 bills; Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), eight; Olamilekan Adeola (APC, Ogun West), seven, Partrick Ndubueze (APC, Imo North), seven, Saliu Mustapha (APC, Kwara Central), seven, Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi West), six; Adetokunboh Abiru (APC, Lagos East), six, Senator Tony Nwoye (LP, Anambra North), six, Kaka Shehu Lawan (APC, Borno Central), six Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South), five, Suleiman Sadiq (APC, Kwara North), five, Jimoh Ibrahim (APC, Ondo South), five, Hussein Babangida Uba (APC, Jigawa North-West), five, Asuquo Ekpenyong (APC, Cross River South), five and Abbas Aminu Iya,P(DP, Adamawa Central), five bills.
Those who sponsored 4 bills
According to a document obtained by Vanguard from the National Assembly, those with four bills each are Senators Mohammed Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North), Ipalibo Harry-Banigo (PDP, Rivers West), Onawo Mohammed Ogoshi (PDP, Nasarawa South), Aliyu Wadada (SDP, Nasarawa West), Barinada Mpigi (PDP, Rivers South-East), Joel Onowakpo-Thomas (APC, Delta South), Ya’u Sahabi Alhaji (APC, Zamfara North), Mohammed Bomai Ibrahim (APC, Yobe South), Eshilokun Sanni Wasiu (APC, Lagos Central), Khalid Ibrahim Mustapha (PDP, Kaduna North), and Buba Umar Shehu (APC, Bauchi South).
3 bills category
Those in category of three bills each are Senators Emmanuel Udende Menga (APC, Benue North East), Isa Jibrin (APC, Kogi East), Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe (PDP, Cross River North); Ned Munir Nwoko (PDP, Delta North), Alli Sharafadeen Abiodun (APC, Oyo South), Jonathan Williams Eteng (APC, Cross River Central). Yisa Ahiru Oyelola (APC, Kwara South), Onyewuchi Ezenwa Francis (LP, Imo East), Buhari Abdulfatai (APC, Oyo North), Etim Bassey Aniekan (PDP, Akwa Ibom North East), Siyako Yaro Anthony (PDP, Gombe South), and Katung Sunday Marshall (PDP, Kaduna South).
2 bills category
Senators with two bills include Akpabio (APC, Akwa Ibom North-West), who sponsored the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2023 and the National Institute for Electoral Studies (Establishment) Bill, 2023.
Others are Olubiyi Fadeyi Oluwole, PDP, Osun Central; Eze Kenneth Emeka, APC, Ebonyi Central; Usman Lawal Adamu, PDP, Kaduna Central; Olajide Ipinsagba Emmanuel, APC, Ondo North; Nwebonyi Onyeka Peter, APC, Ebonyi North; Ifeanyi Ubah, APC, Anambra South; Yahaya Abdullahi, PDP, Kebbi North; Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi, PDP, Osun East; Nasiru Sani Zango, APC, Katsina North; Suleiman Kawu, NNPP, Kano South; Adebule Idiat Oluranti, APC, Lagos West; Akobundu Austin, PDP, Abia Central and Natasha Apoti-Uduaghan, PDP, Kogi Central.
Those with 1 bill
Those with one bill each are Senators Satso Plang Diket, APC, Plateau Central; Garba Musa, PDP, Kebbi South; Akintunde Yunus Abiodun, APC, Oyo Central; Ishaku Elisha Abbo, APC, Adamawa North; Ohere Abubakar Sadiku, APC, Kogi Central and Darlington Nwokocha, LP, Abia Central sponsored a bill each before the Court sacked sacked them; Bilbis Aliyu Ikra, PDP, Zamfara Central; Osita Ngwu, PDP, Enugu West; David Jimkuka, APC, Taraba South; Okpebolo Monday, APC, Edo Central; Salisu Shuaib Afolabi, APC, Ogun North; Adaramodu Adeyemi Raphael, APC, Ekiti South; Akwashiki Godiya, SDP, Nasarawa North; Dafinone Edeh, APC, Delta Central; Yaroe Binos Dauda, PDP, Adamawa South; Abdulhamid Mallam Madori, APC, Jigawa North East; ireti Kingibe, LP, FCT; Izunaso Osita Bonaventure, APC, Imo North; Benson Agadaga, PDP, Bayelsa East; Isa Shuaibu Lau, PDP, Taraba North; and Ekong Sampson, PDP, Akwa-Ibom South.
The bills
Some of the bills sponsored by Bamidele are SB.01. Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2023; SB 06: Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria Act (Repeal & Re- enactment Bill, 2023; SB.46: Federal Fire Service Act( Repeal & Re- enactment) Bill, 2023; SB.68: Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC Act( Amendment) Bill, 2023; SB.74: National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency Act( A) Bill,2023; SB.91: Gaming Bill, 2023; SB.130: Retirement of Magistrates Bill, 2023; SB. 144: Federal College of Agriculture and Tropical Studies Efon Alaye, Ekiti State( Establishment) Bill, 2023, among others.
Some of the bills sponsored by the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin are SB. 05: Development Planning and Project Continuity Bill, 2023; SB.47: In-Vitro Fertilization Bill, 2023; SB.64: Cyber Crimes (Repeal & Re- enactment) Bill , 2023; SB. 70: Explosive Act( Repeal &,Re-enactment Bill, 2023; SB.90: North West Development Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2023; and SB. 125: Federal Polytechnic, Kabo (Establishment) Bill, 2023, among others.
For Senator Sani Musa, some of his bills are SB. 11: Nigerian Content in Programme, contracts, Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation (Establishment) Bill, 2023; SB,101: Critical Infrastructure Protection Bill, 2023; SB.140: North Central Development Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2023; and SB. 206: Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Food( Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (Repeal & Re-enactment) Bill, 2023, among others.
Senator Daniel sponsored the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024; the Federal College of Aviation Technology (Establishment) Bill, 2023; the Terminal Illness Trust Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2023 and the Media Practitioners Registration Council of Nigeria (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
On his part, Senator Orji Kalu has the following bills: the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023; Armed Forces Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024; Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024; Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and National Environmental Standards and Regulations Agency Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
Senator Tambuwal sponsored the Federal Housing Authority Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023; and Senator Wammako sponsored the National War College Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Pension Reform Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
Senator Adamu Aliero sponsored the Federal University, Birnin Kebbi (Establishment) Bill, 2023.
While Danjuma Goje sponsored the Federal University of Horticulture Dadin-Kowa, Gombe State (Establishment) Bill and the Federal Medical Centre Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023, his successor, Senator Dankwambo sponsored the Federal University of Education (Technical), Gombe (Establishment) Bill, 2023 and the Federal College of Forestry, Wawa Zange, Dukku, Gombe State (Establishment) Bill, 2023.
Senator Bello sponsored the Institute of Information and Communication Technology, Wushishi, Niger State (Establishment) Bill, 2023 and the Agriculture Research Council of Nigeria Act (Enactment) Bill, 2023.
Credit: Vanguard (Culled from the Vanguard Newspaper)
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