To get to the bills with impact, value, and progression, the volume of such bills must first be determined. Hence, this scorecard of the top 10 House of Reps members by bills Sponsorship (volume) highlights the parliamentarians with the highest bills tally in three years of the 9th House of Representatives
The Volume, Value, Impact and Progression (VVIP) matrix used by OrderPaper is holistic and key in presenting data that truly reflects how the 9th Assembly lawmakers have performed in lawmaking. While some argue that it is not enough to highlight the volume of bills, the VVIP evidently gives a bird’s eye view of this aspect of legislative performance, indicating the four steps’ equal importance.
Hence, the analysis of the Top 10 House of Reps members by bills Sponsorship (volume) card is captured below:
Tajudeen Abbas (APC, Zaria, Kaduna)
Rep. Abbas retains the top spot on bills sponsorship by volume, having also led in the midterm NASS Appraisals. The third-term legislator has a tally of 74 bills in three years.
Abbas first came into the House in 2011 in the 7th Assembly and is seeking a fourth term. While four of his bills have been passed, the other 70 bills are spread across committees, first reading stages, consolidated or negative.
Some of these include establishing a National Blood Service Commission designed to grant the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) the autonomy to carry out its mandate according to global best practices, which has been passed into law. Also, he sponsored establishment bills for Federal Medical Centres and Vigilante Group of Nigeria, an amendment to the Nigerian Council for Management Development Act bill, among others.
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Mohammed Tahir Monguno (APC, Monguno / Nganzai/ Marte, Borno)
Ranking member and Majority Chief Whip of the House of Reps, Rep. Monguno has sponsored 53 bills. He moves up second from the third spot, which he held on the midterm NASS appraisals with 43 bills. Again appearing on the year three bills productivity list, 14 of his 53 bills have been passed for concurrence to the Senate.
Meanwhile, 13 of his other bills are at committee, 22 are at first reading, and four have been consolidated with other bills. Monguno, who is also seeking to return to the House, was first a member in 1992 and then from 2007 till date.
Prominent among his bills are the National Commission for Refugees, Migrant and Internally Displaced Persons, Terrorism (Prohibition and Prevention), and Export Prohibition Act (Repeal) bills. Others are on Constitution amendment and establishment bills.
Ossai Nicholas Ossai (PDP, Ndokwa East/ Ndokwa West / Ukwuani, Delta)
As an honourable member since 2011, Rep. Ossai Nicholas has a volume of 47 bills so far in the 9th Assembly. This means that he increased his tally by three bills, haven sponsored 42 bills at midterm. However, he drops one spot down the chart. Notable among his bills are the establishment bills on the Nigerian Council for Social Work and a Federal Polytechnic in Kwale. The others are the Treaties Making Procedure bill and the Federal Roads bill, which he co-sponsored with Gwani Gideon Luca. Unfortunately, the PDP lawmaker won’t be returning as he failed in his bid to clinch the primaries ticket of the party.
Benjamin Okezie Kalu (APC, Bende,Abia)
The House Spokesman and Abia scorecard lead bills’ sponsor has a tally of 45 bills in three years. Although his bills went up by four, haven sponsored 41 bills at midterm; he remains in the fourth spot on the chart.
These bills cover communication, export prohibition, education, finance, health and Constitution amendment. The first-time lawmaker and top scorer on the newbies’ chart is also seeking to return to the House for a third term.
Interestingly, the 8th Assembly lawmaker he replaced in the 9th Assembly will be contesting on the PDP ticket in the 2023 National Assembly elections.
READ ALSO: Top 10 Senators by Bills Volume (Newbies) | National Assembly Scorecard
Sergius Oseasochie Ogun (PDP, Esan North-East/Esan South-East, Edo)
Rep. Sergius Ogun was first elected to represent the Esan North-East/South-East constituency in 2015. With 18 bills at midterm, the lawmaker also leapt in year three as his tally has grown to 43 bills.
Hence, he makes a new entry on the bills by volume scorecard. His sponsored bills cover sectors on law enforcement, social welfare, health, and the Constitution amendment, among others. The two-time lawmaker won’t be contesting to return to the House.
Uzoma Nkem Abonta (PDP, Ukwa East / Ukwa West, Abia)
Another ranking member, Mr Abonta, was first elected into the House of Representatives in 2007 and re-elected in 2015 and 2019.
Having sponsored 36 bills at midterm; he moved five bills up with a total tally of 40 bills in three years. While seven of these bills have been passed and sent to the Senate for concurrence, six are at committee, while 27 are still at the first reading stage.
Some of Abonta’s bills include an amendment of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency Act and the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan bills.
Others prominent among his bills are the establishment of the Chartered Institute of Forensic and Investigative Professionals of Nigeria bills and others on tourism, agric technology, and mineral resources. The third-term lawmaker will not be seeking a fourth term.
Waive Ejiroghene Francis (APC) (Ughelli North / Ughelli South/ Udu, Delta)
Another newbie on the list, Hon Waive, fought his way into the 9th House following a series of litigation. With eight bills at midterm, the first-time lawmaker made a considerable leap in sponsoring 30 new bills in a year.
Hence, he newly made an entry on the list, rising to a tally of 38 bills by the end of the third session of the 9th Assembly.
However, several of these bills are still at first reading, hence his appearance on the stagnated bills scorecard. In addition, the lawmaker is vying for a second term.
Nkeiruka Onyejeocha (APC, Isuikwuato/Umuneochi, APC)
The second Principal Officer on the list is the Deputy Chief Whip of the House. Also, the only female parliamentarian on the list, she has sponsored 35 bills in three years.
Her bills tally from the midterm NASS appraisals was 30; therefore, she added five bills within the last year.
These bills cover finance, health, law & order, education and the Constitution amendment. The fourth-term lawmaker ran for the 9th Speaker of the House of Representatives position but lost pit to Mr Femi Gbajabiamila. She is likewise seeking re-election in the 2023 National Assembly elections.
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Dachung Musa Bagos (PDP, Jos South/Jos East, Plateau)
The first term lawmaker who is vocal on insecurity raked in 33 bills in three years. Having sponsored 30 bills at midterm; he moved down to the 9th spot on the scorecard.
His bills cover areas on education, the extractive sector, Constitution amendment, and finance, among others. The Plateau bills tally scorecard leader is seeking re-election for a second term.
Oke Oluwole Busayo (PDP, Obokun / Oriade, Osun)
The House Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman has been a lawmaker in the 6th, 8th and 9th Assemblies. In the 9th Assembly, he sponsored 30 bills between June 2019 and May 2022, moving from 25 bills sponsored at midterm.
His bills, largely still at the first reading stage, cover oil and gas, education, security, communication and finance. Hon. Oke is also vying for a fourth term in the 2023 National Assembly elections.
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.
