‘The Land of Promise’ has thirteen federal lawmakers in the National Assembly. Here’s an appraisal of their performance in the House of Representatives and Senate using bills sponsored by each lawmaker over the last three years (2019 -2022)
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SCORECARD
Onofiok Luke Akpan
Among the thirteen lawmakers from the South-South State at the federal parliament, Rep. Akpan leads the Akwa-Ibom bills tally with thirty-four bills to his credit. Prominent amongst bills sponsored by the lawmaker in the period under review is the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which has been passed by the House.
A former Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, he currently represents Etinan/Nsit Ibom/Nsit Ubium Federal Constituency at the Green Chamber,
Francis Charles Uduyok
Rep. Uduyok representing Ikot Abasi/Mpat Enin/Eastern Obolo Federal Constituency, comes behind Rep Akpan with twenty-three bills to his name. Among bills sponsored by the lawmaker is a piece of legislation seeking to establish an Electoral Offences Tribunal in Nigeria.
He was first elected in 2015 and subsequently re-elected in 2019 to the legislative chamber on the platform of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
Unyime Josiah Idem
Representing Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency, the lawmaker has so far sponsored sixteen bills, including the National Community Service Scheme (Establishment) Bill, 2020.
Aniekan John Umanah
A representative of Abak/ Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency in the Green Chamber, he has nine bills to his credit, including Regulation and Control of Indoor and Outdoor Signage, Hoarding and Advertisement in the Federal Capital Territory Bill (2021).
Ifon Patrick Nathan
The lawmaker representing Eket/Esit Eket/Onna Federal Constituency has seven bills to his name in the period under review, including the Industrial Training Fund Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
Archibong Henry Okon
A member of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), the lawmaker representing Itu/Ibiono Ibom Federal Constituency sponsored six bills in the last three years.
Emmanuel Ukpong-Udo Effiong
Like Rep. Okon, the lawmaker representing Ikono/Ini Federal Consitiurnvu also have six bills to his credit over the last three years.
Ikong Nsikak Okon
A representative of Ikot Ekpene/Essien Udim/Obot Akara Federal Constituency, the lawmaker has sponsored five bills in the period under review.
However, there are two members of the House of Representatives from the state with no pieces of legislation in their name since the inauguration of the House in 2019 namely:
- Eyong Michael Okon representing Uyo/Uruan/Nsit Atai/Asutan/Ibesikpo Federal Constituency and
- Ekpeyong Nse representing Mbo/Okobo/Oron/Udong Uko/Urue Federal Constituency who died on April 24, 2022.
SENATORS SCORECARD
Bassey Albert Akpan
Representing Akwa-Ibom North East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Akpan has ten bills to his credit in the period of review. He is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Gas and chair of the Joint Committee on Petroleum (Upstream and Downstream), investigating oil theft in the country.
Bills sponsored by the lawmaker include the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract Act (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which was passed by the Senate.
First elected to the legislative chamber in 2015 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but had to exit the party in July 2022 as a fallout of the governorship primaries, in which he had picked a form to participate. He would later defect to the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and emerge as its gubernatorial candidate for the March 11 elections.
Senator Akpan is currently in prison, however, having been sentenced to 42 years imprisonment for corruption charges.
Eyakenyi Akon Etim
The Senator representing Akwa-Ibom South in the National Assembly has had three bills to her name in the last three years. A first-term lawmaker in the legislative chamber, she sponsored a bill seeking the establishment of a University of Maritime Studies, Oron, already passed by the Senate.
A former Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, she is currently gunning to occupy the number two position in the state, having been nominated as the Deputy Gubernatorial Candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 11 election.
Christopher Ekpenyong
68-year-old Ekpeyong is the representative of Akwa-Ibom North West Senatorial District at the Red Chamber. A former deputy governor of his state, he ranks lowest in terms of bills sponsorship among Senators from the state, having sponsored just two bills in the period under review.
Prominent among bills sponsored by the lawmaker is the National Environmental Research and Training Institute (Establishment) Bill, 2020. He however joins the long list of Senators who would not be returning to the legislative chamber, having voluntarily resigned from pursuing re-election in 2023.
READ ALSO: Bayelsa: Ex-Governor Dickson sponsors one bill in three years | National Assembly Scorecard
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.
Ojochenemi Onje-James
Ojochenemi Onje-James is a research writer and journalist with years of proven footprints in areas of crime and politics. She has a M.Sc in International Relations and Strategic Studies as well as a B.Sc in Mass Communication.
