Akpabio, Senate Leader Quote Conflicting Figures on Bills Handled in 2 Years

Akpabio, Senate Leader Quote Conflicting Figures on Bills Handled in 2 Years

The Senate President and the Senate Leader have presented different figures about the number of bills the 10th Senate has attended to in its first two years, The Press has found.

On Thursday, Senate President Godswill Akpabio claimed the Senate had passed 96 bills in its first two years. He also said 52 of those bills had been signed into law by the vice president.

According to Akpabio, 409 bills were in the second reading, 107 were at the committee stage and 206 were still waiting for first reading.

“A total of 844 bills have been introduced in the past two years, an unprecedented figure that underscores the Senate and the Representatives’ proactive posture towards tackling pressing national issues.

“Out of this impressive volume, 107 are currently at the committee stages undergoing the necessary scrutiny and stakeholder engagement that will ensure quality legislation. 206 bills in the Senate are awaiting first reading, reflecting a robust pipeline of legislative ideas prepared to ensure the formal introduction. 409 bills have also advanced to the second reading in the Senate. I am sure my brother will mention the ones in the House of Reps,” Akpabio had said.

However, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele gave another set of numbers in a Midterm Statement issued by his office on Sunday. He said the Senate had introduced 983 bills between June 2023 and June 2025.

Out of those, 108 bills were passed into law. He also said that in the 2024/2025 session alone, the Senate introduced 506 bills more than the 477 from the previous year.

Bamidele added that 83 of those bills were passed into law in 2024/2025, compared to just 25 in 2023/2024. He also said the Senate worked on 26 executive bills in 2024/2025, compared to 13 the year before.

 “In the 2024/2025 legislative year, for instance, 506 bills were initiated in the Senate alone compared to 477 in 2023/2024. This represents a 6.07% increase. Also, in the 2024/2025 legislative year, the upper chamber fully passed 83 bills into law compared to 25 in the previous legislative year.

“This represents truly a great feat that glaringly accounts for a 232% increase in the number of fully enacted legislations between 2023 and 2025. Against 13 in the 2023/2024 legislative year, the Senate dwelt with 26 executive bills in 2024/2025, invariably indicating a 100 per cent upsurge. This record shows that 464 private member bills were initiated in 2023/2024 compared to 480 in 2024/2025.”

These numbers do not match what the Senate President said, even though both men were speaking officially. It is unclear which of the two is right.

The Press had earlier reported how Akpabio claimed that the 10th Senate broke a new record by passing 96 bills within two years, even though the 8th Senate under Bukola Saraki passed the same number in 2017.

Despite the many bills being introduced, critics say the National Assembly still struggles with its priorities. In May, The Press reported how the Senate passed the National Anthem Bill — a controversial legislation — in just six days.

The bill, which brought back Nigeria’s old colonial anthem, was signed by President Tinubu on May 29, just one day after Senate approval.

At the same time, other important bills have been stuck for months. These include the Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Institutions Bill, the Bill to Decriminalise Attempted Suicide, and the Export Prohibition Repeal Bill.

The Assembly has also been quick to approve requests from the presidency without much debate. These include the $800 million World Bank loan, a state of emergency in Rivers State, ministerial nominations and the appointment of special advisers for the president.

FIJ