4 Ex-Govs, 21 other Senators yet to sponsor a bill in 10 months

Four of the 13 former governors in the Senate and 21 other senators have not sponsored any bill since June 13, 2023 when the 10th National Assembly was inaugurated, Daily Trust’s findings have shown.

The ex-governors in the Senate are Senate President Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto), Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe), Abubakar Bello (Niger), Orji Kalu (Abia), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Adamu Aliero (Kebbi), Danjuma Goje (Gombe), Gbenga Daniel (Ogun) and Simon Lalong (Plateau).

A document obtained from the National Assembly showed that from June 13, 2023 to March 14, 2024, twenty five senators, including four former governors, have not sponsored any bill.

The former governors on this list are Senators Seriake Dickson (PDP-Bayelsa West), Adams Oshiomhole (APC-Edo North), Abdulaziz Yari (APC -Zamfara West) and Simon Lalong (APC – Plateau South).

However, unlike others, Lalong was sworn in as a senator in December 2023 when the Court of Appeal sacked Napoleon Bali of the PDP and declared him winner of the election. Before then, Lalong had served as Minister of Labour, Employment and Productivity in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cabinet for about four months.

Other senators, who are also yet to sponsor any bill within the period under review are Victor Umeh (Anambra Central), Titus Tartenger Zam (Benue North West), Anthony Ani (Ebonyi South), Imasuen Neda Bernards (Edo South), Oluwole Fasuyi Cyril (Ekiti North), Okechukwu Ezea (Enugu North), Chukwu Chizoba (Enugu East), Kaila Samaila Dahuwa (Bauchi North), Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central), Khabeeb Mustapha (Jigawa South West), Rufai Hanga (Kano Central), Abdulaziz Yar’adua (Katsina Central), Mohammed Dandutse Muntari (Katsina South), Peter Jiya (Niger South), Adegbonmire Adeniyi Ayodele (Ondo Central), Oyewumi Kamorudeen Olalere (Osun West), Pam Dachungyang (Plateau North), Onyesoh Allwell Heacho (Rivers East), Ibrahim Lamido (Sokoto East), Manu Haruna (Taraba Central) and Musa Mustapha (Yobe East).

However, Ani, Dachungyang and Mustapha were inaugurated into the Senate at later dates.

My bill ready soon – Oshiomhole

Contacted for comments, Senator Oshiomhole told Daily Trust that he was working on a bill and would soon present it to the floor of the Senate. His media aide, Victor Oshioke, told Daily Trust that his principal had sponsored a motion on the Benin-Auchi Road. “So, he is sponsoring his own bill very soon too,” he said

Senator Lalong’s media aide, Simon Makut, in a text message to Daily Trust, said: “The distinguished senator will sponsor bills.”

Senators Dickson and Yari did not respond to requests for comment. Dickson neither answered phone calls nor responded to SMS and WhatsApp messages sent to him for comment since Friday and subsequent reminders were also ignored.

Senator Yari also did not answer phone calls nor replied to an SMS sent with follow-ups since Saturday.