Ahead of the 2023 National Assembly elections, this series focuses on lawmakers’ performance in the area of Bills Sponsorship at the Ninth National Assembly. In this part, we highlight the scorecard of Borno federal lawmakers between 2019 and 2022.
The North Eastern state has thirteen representatives in the federal parliament, comprising three Senators and ten members of the House of Representatives, who have over 67 bills currently at various stages; between them. Interestingly, the entire Borno delegation to the National Assembly are all members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
SENATE SCORECARD
Leading the pack among its Senators is Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South), who has sponsored 15 bills over the last three years of the Ninth National Assembly.
A former Majority Leader in the apex legislative chamber of the country, Senator Ndume first came to the National Assembly in 2003, following his election as a member of the House of Representatives. Prominent among the bills sponsored by the federal lawmaker in the period under review (2019 – 2022), is a bill seeking to establish the Social Intervention Programmes Agency currently at first reading.
He is followed closely by Senator Kashim Shettima (Borno Central) who has 10 bills to show off as a first-term lawmaker at the National Assembly. A two-time governor of the State, prominent legislation sponsored by the APC Vice Presidential Candidate includes a bill seeking to establish the Federal Polytechnic, Maiduguri.
Borno North Senatorial District is currently without a lawmaker, as its representative at the National Assembly resigned on 12th April 2022. Senator Abubakar Kyari was elected as the Deputy National Chairman (North) of his party; paving way for his resignation as a legislator.
READ ALSO: Senator Moro leads Benue delegation in Bills Chart | National Assembly Scorecard
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SCORECARD
In the House of Representatives, Rep. Mohammed Tahir Monguno ranks highest among lawmakers from the State having sponsored 53 Bills so far.
Representing Marte/Nganzai/Monguno Federal Constituency at the House, he has secured the ticket of his party; to run for a Senate seat in 2023. Prominent amongst bills so far sponsored by the Chief Whip is the National Commission for the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons Bill (2019) which is currently awaiting report.
“The barometer of rating the performance of a lawmaker is not by the number of naming ceremonies or burials he attends, but by the number of bills he had sponsored and has seen the light of the day.” – Rep. Tahir Monguno
For the other lawmakers from the State in the Green Chamber:
Zainab Gimba representing Bama/Ngala/Kala Balge Federal Constituency, Ahmad Jaha representing Damboa/Gwoza/Chibok Federal Constituency, Satomi Alhaji Ahmed representing Jere Federal Constituency and Usman Zannah representing Gubio/Magumeri/Kaga Federal Constituency all have 3 bills to their names.
The trio of Ibrahim Muhammad Bukar representing Dikwa/Mafa/Konduga Federal Constituency, Mukhtar Betara Aliyu representing Kwaya Kusar/Biu/Shani/Bayo Federal Constituency, and Abdulkadir Rahis representing Maiduguri Metropolitan Federal Constituency all have 0 bills in their name.
Editor’s Note: OrderPaper’s appraisal of lawmakers in the core areas of lawmaking is without prejudice to the lawmaker’s performance in the areas of oversight and representation.
Ibrahim Tanko Gaddafi
Ibrahim Gaddafi Tanko is a celebrated opinion writer, contributor to several frontline national tabloids in Nigeria and holds a Bachelor of Law Degree (LLB) from the Taraba State University. He has a huge flair for journalism with particular interest in issues concerning governance, politics, the legislature, humanitarian affairs, and climate change.
