Only 34 bills were recorded by Katsina lawmakers as 12 of them sponsored no bill in the first year of the 10th National Assembly
At the start of the 10th National Assembly, there were widespread concerns about the legislative body’s capacity to function effectively, particularly due to the large influx of new legislators. As the core responsibilities of a legislature lawmaking, representation, and oversight were at stake, questions arose regarding whether the new lawmakers would adequately fulfil these duties.
A key aspect of any legislature’s work is the introduction and passage of bills, which allows legislators to advocate for policies that address the needs of their constituents. However, an analysis of the first year of the 10th National Assembly, from June 2023 to May 2024 by OrderPaper, paints a concerning picture for lawmakers from Katsina State. Out of the 1,650 bills introduced in the Senate and House of Representatives, Katsina legislators contributed only 34, with progress on these bills being notably slow.
ALSO READ: 10TH NASS REPORT CARD: 8 of 24 Kano Reps sponsor no bill in one year
This sluggish performance is particularly stark when examining the contributions of Katsina lawmakers. Out of 18 lawmakers from Katsina in the National Assembly, a striking 12 of them, mostly first term members, failed to sponsor any bill during the first year. This highlights a worrying trend, suggesting that the legislative inexperience of these new members may have contributed to their underperformance.
Rep. Soli Sada, a third-term member, stands out sponsoring 15 bills. However, all of these bills have stalled at the first reading stage. Similarly, Rep. Balele Aminu, a first-term lawmaker, sponsored nine bills. While 11.1 percent of these bills have passed for concurrence, a significant 77.7 percent are still awaiting consideration, with the remainder pending second reading.
On the other hand, Reps. Abubakar Yahaya and Shehu Tafoki each sponsored two and one bill, respectively, but none have moved beyond the first reading.
However, it is the total lack of bill sponsorship by other Katsina lawmakers that is most alarming. Reps. Abdullahi Balarebe, Murtala Banye, Iliyasu Abubakar, Yusuf Doro, Mohammed Ahmed, Jamo Aminu, Muhammad Ibrahim, Yusuf Majigir, Ahmed Abdullahi and Sani Lawal, who are all first-term members and Rep. Aliyu Danlami (a second-term member), failed to sponsor any bill during this period.
In the Senate, the picture is not much better. Katsina’s three senators sponsored only seven bills combined out of the 475 bills introduced in the first year. Senators Nasir Zango and Abdulaziz Yar’adua introduced five and two bills, respectively, but like their counterparts in the House, all of these bills remain stuck at the first reading stage. Senator Muntari Dandutse, notably, sponsored no bill at all in the first year.
STAR CHECK: Find out about all Katsina state lawmakers in the National Assembly here
10th NASS Report Card: Read up on the performance scorecards of other senators, members of the House and specialised categories here
