Abbas recorded the highest number of bills, while 10 out of 19 Kaduna State representatives failed to sponsor any bill in the first year of the 10th National Assembly
It is no news that lawmakers are expected to carry out their core responsibilities of representation, lawmaking, and oversight. However several of them default in one of the critical aspect- lawmaking. On this score, ten of the nineteen members of the national assembly from Kaduna State sponsored no bill in the first year of the 10th federal legislature.
OrderPaper’s detailed analysis reveals that the three Kaduna senators sponsored 17 bills out of 475 bills recorded in the senate between June 2023 and May 2024. Their sixteen counterparts in the House sponsored 47 out of the total of 1175 bills processed in the House in the period under review. However, a majority of these bills remain stalled at the first reading stages, highlighting a broader issue of slow legislative progress.
Among the notable performers, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House and a four-term member, stands out. Representing the Zaria federal constituency, Abbas sponsored 21 out of the 47 bills introduced by Kaduna’s representatives in the House. His legislative initiatives span important sectors such as education, public finance, youth welfare, security, social welfare, the environment, commerce, and transport. Despite the heavy responsibility of presiding over the House, Abbas has remained committed to his core legislative duties, taking the lead with the highest number of bills sponsored by any representative from the state. One of his bills has already been passed by the House, while others are at various stages of legislative scrutiny, with many still at the first reading.
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However, Rep. Abbas’ proactive legislative efforts sharply contrast with the performance of many of his peers from Kaduna State. Ten representatives from the state, including Rep. Zubairu Usman, the late Rep. Ekene Adams, Rep. Aliyu Abdullahi, Rep. Amos Daniel, Rep. Saleh Zock, Rep. Mathew Donatus Kuzalio, Rep. Yusuf Bashir Rep. Ahmed Munir, Rep. Ajilo Shehu, and Rep. Yahaya Richifa failed to sponsor a single bill in their first year. This lack of legislative output raises questions about their engagement with their primary lawmaking responsibilities
Other representatives from Kaduna State, such as Rep. Magaji Gwamna and Rep. El-rufai Mohammed Bello, have made attempts to sponsor bills, introducing 12 and 7 respectively. Unfortunately, all of these remain stalled at the first reading, underscoring a broader issue of legislative gridlock. Similarly, Rep. Jallo Hussaini Mohammed and Rep. Abdullahi Sadiq Ango each sponsored 3 bills, while Rep. Abdulkarim Ahmed sponsored just one. None of these bills have made significant progress through the legislative process.
On the senate side, the situation is slightly more balanced, though similarly sluggish. Kaduna’s three senators Khalid Mustafa, Sunday Usman Marshall, and Lawal Usman collectively sponsored 17 bills out of the 475 bills introduced in the senate. Mustafa led with nine bills, while the other two senators each sponsored four. Like their counterparts in the House, the majority of their bills are awaiting a second reading or are at the committee level, further reflecting the slow pace of legislative progress.
This pattern of inactivity is troubling. The legislative arm of government plays a vital role in shaping policies that impact the lives of citizens, and the low productivity of some Kaduna lawmakers suggests a missed opportunity to address pressing issues within their constituencies.
For legislation to have an impact, it must progress through the various stages, including committee review, public hearings, debates, and votes before becoming law.
STAR CHECK: Find out about all Kaduna 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
One comment
Yani Alexander Gideon
September 25, 2024 at 12:17 pm
I would want to be receiving Monthly scorecards of all the Law makes in Kaduna State.