Senator representing Ekiti Central and Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, has said the Red Chamber, under the leadership of Senator Godswill Akpabio, has in the last year initiated 477 bills.
Senator Bamidele, in a statement appraising the stewardship of the 10th Senate, in which he is a principal officer, revealed that the Senate had successfully passed 25 bills in the period under review.
He said, “For instance, as of June 11, 2024, our records revealed that at least 477 bills were initiated since the 10th Senate kicked off its activities precisely on June 13, 2023.
“Of this figure, only 25 bills were fully passed into law, while others are currently at different stages before the Senate. Comparatively, this figure only accounts for 5.24% of the entire bills introduced within the timeframe.
“Many people may measure our performance based on the number of bills that were fully passed into law. There are different reasons that account for the low number of fully enacted laws.
“This can be attributed mainly to other issues of highly fundamental national priority that occupied the attention of the Senate.
“Put differently, it is purely due to the imperatives of attending to other obligations as required by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.
“Aside from the 25 fully enacted bills, no fewer than 275 bills (57.65%) were read for the first time within the timeframe, with about 135 (28.32%) awaiting the first reading, 45 (9.43%) awaiting the second reading, and 43 (9.02%) currently at the committee stage.
“Similarly, three bills (0.63%) were refused on different grounds. While only 13 (2.73%) of the total bills originated from the executive arm, 464 (97.27%) are private member bills.
“Apart from the bills, the Senate arrived at 115 resolutions, which are far-reaching in consequence, profound in their significance to our economic development, and strategic to the cohesion, growth, and stability of our nation.”
He further noted that the resolutions arose from motions of national importance that different Distinguished Senators sponsored after due diligence was conducted.
According to the Senate Leader, the lawmakers equally received and treated petitions from members of the public on diverse matters of grave concern.
He said, “Despite time constraints, 50 of the public petitions were successfully and satisfactorily resolved.”
In an apparent reference to criticism of the speedy confirmation of nominees of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for different political offices, the Senate leader justified it as he submitted that it was in deference to provisions of Section 147 (2–6) of the 1999 Constitution and other Acts of the National Assembly.
Part of the statement read: “Among others, the confirmations include key appointments into the Federal Executive Council, Board of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the leadership of the Nigeria Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
“Confirmation is key to our national development. It no doubt sped up the process of forming or constituting the national government at a very critical time when our domestic economy was struggling to stay afloat.
“During the period under review, national security was under threat, and internal cohesion was seriously gasping for fresh air. Already, the first year has passed by. And we have decisively addressed issues of strategic national interest with the utmost priority.
“In the last 366 days, the 10th Senate has been strategically collaborating with key public institutions, especially the Executive Arm, to defend our core interest as a federation and ensure macroeconomic stability.
“It has promoted internal cohesion as well as fostered unity among the ethnic nationalities that constitute our dear nation.
“Like never before, we have been utterly committed to this national assignment to position our nation not just for more notable regional and sub-regional roles but also for global leadership.
“Driven by this ambitious national aspiration convincingly scribbled in our revised legislative agenda, the Senate has adopted a strategic partnership approach aimed at building resilient synergy with other arms of government and nurturing a competitive, functional, and viable federation that works for all.
“Evident in all our parliamentary engagements, this has been our preoccupation since the inauguration of the 10th Senate as the foremost institution of representative democracy.
“From our observations so far, we are confident Nigeria is now more stable, and the future of our nation looks more promising than ever in our recent history.
“As people of collective purpose, however, we are under obligations to support our governments, whether at the national or sub-national level, to build a resilient economy and an equitable federation that supports the aspirations of all its constituents.
“As we embark upon the journey into a brighter, greater, and more glorious future, we will devote much of our time to developing legal frameworks that will further stabilise our fiscal and monetary spaces.
“We will prioritise the security of lives and strategic assets; that will deescalate the consumer price index, especially food inflation, and that will engender a more functional governance structure.
“Aside from the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution, the Senate has initiated diverse processes with a clear and well-defined mandate.
“The processes are designed to create, develop, and evolve a more efficient, responsive, and viable governance structure, whether with respect to the economy or security, politics or security, science or technology, agriculture, or education.”
ALSO READ THESE TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
