By Gloria Ikibah
A recent analysis by OrderPaper, Nigeria’s leading independent parliamentary monitoring organization, reveals that more than half of the bills introduced in the 10th National Assembly were carried over from previous legislative sessions, particularly the 9th Assembly.
The report highlights that a significant portion of the bills proposed in the Senate between June 2023 and May 2024 were not new initiatives but rather replications of earlier proposals. The House of Representatives exhibited a similar pattern, with nearly one-third of its bills being reintroduced from past sessions.
Oke Epia, the Founder and Executive Director of OrderPaper, made these findings public in a statement on Wednesday. He expressed concern over this trend, suggesting it raises questions about the originality and efficacy of the legislative process. The practice of recycling bills has led to speculations about the potential commercialization of legislative proposals within the federal legislature.
Epia pointed out that while the first year of the 10th National Assembly saw an increase in the number of bills introduced, the rate of their progression through the legislative process remained sluggish. Many of these bills, recycled from the 9th Assembly, have yet to make significant headway.
These insights are part of the upcoming performance report card on the National Assembly, prepared by OrderPaper. This report, known for its detailed and data-driven approach, provides an in-depth analysis of the legislative activities within the first year of the 10th Assembly, highlighting the gap between bill sponsorship and their actual progression.
“The analysis by OrderPaper indicates that between June 2023 and May 2024, the Senate introduced a total of 475 bills, but only 19 have been passed, with 416 still awaiting their second reading,” Epia noted.
“In a similar vein, the House of Representatives saw 1,175 bills introduced within the same period, but only 58 have passed, leaving a staggering 967 bills stuck at the second reading stage.”
The report further revealed that 15 senators and 149 members of the House—accounting for 12.6% of the total membership—did not sponsor any bills during this period. Among those, a majority were first-time lawmakers.
A particularly concerning aspect of the report is the lack of legislative focus on critical national issues. For instance, bills related to agriculture and food security constituted only 5.8% of the total in the House and 7.3% in the Senate. Security-related bills accounted for just 7.2% in the House and 5.4% in the Senate. Despite these sectors’ importance to national stability, many bills addressing these issues have failed to advance beyond the first reading.
OrderPaper plans to publish distinct datasets from this performance report on its official website (https://orderpaper.ng/), encouraging constituents, political and business leaders, civil society organizations, and the general public to engage with these findings.
Epia also emphasized that while there has been a noticeable increase in bill submissions, the challenge remains in ensuring these bills reach the legislative finish line. He urged citizens to focus not just on the quantity of bills but on their quality, value, and impact.
“Citizens must hold their lawmakers accountable by prioritizing the effectiveness of bills over mere numbers,” Epia remarked. “OrderPaper Nigeria calls on legislators, citizens, and parliamentary partners to use this performance report to advocate for more impactful legislative governance. It’s crucial that the 10th Assembly moves beyond quantity and focuses on passing laws that address Nigeria’s pressing challenges. The gap between promise and progress must be bridged for this Assembly to achieve its full potential.”