16 senators from the north-central zone secured 85 of the 475 bills sponsored in the 10th senate’s inaugural year.
Out of the 19 senators from the north-central region, only 16 brought legislative proposals to the floor of the senate between June 2023 and May 2024. 74 of the 85 bills sponsored by these lawmakers are awaiting a second reading, while 8 are under committee review. Notably, one bill has been dropped and another successfully passed.
The legislative focus areas of these senators include agriculture, food security, constitutional amendments, health, security, judiciary reforms, electoral reforms, solid minerals, private sector commerce, anti-corruption and financial crime, banking, law, social protection, transportation, maritime, extractives, ICT, rural development, and economic development.
Nonetheless, despite the introduction of a significant number of bills, the slow pace of legislative progress undermines efforts to tackle these critical challenges. The three senators from the zone with no bill under the first year of review are Simon Lalong (APC, Plateau south), Pam Mwadkon (ADP, Plateau north) and Jiya Ndalikali (APC, Niger south). Two senators had the highest number of bills with 10 bills each and they are Aliyu Wadada (SDP, Nasarawa west) and Sani Musa (APC, Niger south).
The considerable backlog of bills awaiting second reading reflects inefficiencies within the legislative process, highlighting the urgent need for reforms to ensure that these bills—particularly those in key sectors—are passed and implemented effectively to promote development and enhance the livelihoods of the north-central population.
10th NASS Report Card: Read up on the performance of other senators and members of House and other specialized categories here.
