- OrderPaper report revealed that only 77 out of 1,442 bills were passed in Nigeria’s National Assembly between June 2023 and May 2024
- The report showed a significant trend of recycled legislation, with over 50% of Senate bills and nearly 30% of House bills reintroduced from previous assemblies
- 15 senators and 149 representatives did not sponsor any legislation during the first year of the 10th National Assembly, according to the report
A recent performance report from OrderPaper, Nigeria’s parliamentary oversight group, has shown that out of 1,442 bills introduced between June 2023 and May 2024, just 77 were passed.
The Executive Director of OrderPaper, Oke Epia, said in a statement released on Wednesday, September 4, in Abuja that the 10th Assembly, “Witnessed a surge but the slow pace of progression of sponsored bills, a significant number of which were proposals recycled from the preceding 9th Assembly.”
Report indicates stagnation in legislation
According to Epia, the report also identified a significant issue of recycled legislation, revealing that over 50% of Senate bills and nearly 30% of House bills were reintroduced from past assemblies. This pattern raises questions about the innovation and dedication of the legislature in addressing Nigeria’s ongoing challenges.
The report also showed that 15 senators and 149 representatives did not sponsor any legislation during the initial year of the 10th National Assembly.
Epia pointed out that the slow progression of bills has been a persistent issue in the National Assembly, advocating for a shift towards emphasising the quality and impact of legislation rather than just the quantity.
Earlier findings showed that four out of 13 former governors in the Senate, along with 21 additional senators, did not sponsor any bills between June 2023 and March 2024.
List of lawmakers who did not sponsor bills
The report highlighted that the following senators did not sponsor any bills: Amos Yohanna (PDP, Adamawa North), Victor Umeh (LP, Anambra Central), Samaila Kaila (PDP, Bauchi North), Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central), Ani Okorie (APC, Ebonyi South), Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North), Neda Imasuen (LP, Edo South), and Kelvin Chizoba (LP, Enugu East).
The report also named Muntari Dandutse (APC, Katsina South), Jiya Ndalikali (PDP, Niger South), Onyesoh Allwell (PDP, Rivers East), Haruna Manu (PDP, Taraba Central), Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe North), Napoleon Bali (PDP, Plateau South), and Abubakar Yari (APC, Zamfara Central) as senators who did not sponsor any bills.
Epia advocates for citizen engagement in holding lawmakers accountable
“Citizens must demand accountability from lawmakers by focusing not just on quantity, but on the quality and impact of their work concerning bills processing in parliament.
“OrderPaper calls for urgent action from legislators, citizens, as well as partners of the parliament to deploy these performance report cards to push for impactful legislative governance,” Epia stated.
7 bills awaiting approval of 10th National Assembly
Meanwhile, in an earlier report, TheRadar compiled seven key bills that were awaiting approval.
The bills had been before the National Assembly since the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in June 2023 and Nigerians would be expecting some progress on the bills when lawmakers reconvene on September 17.