News

Oduah, Ekwunife, Uba Top List Of Senators With Most Stagnated Bills In 4 Years

Published

4 years ago

January 13, 2023

A performance appraisals of the Nigeria’s 9th National Assembly, which was sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), a copy of which was sighted by DAILY POST showed that senators from Anambra State topped list of lawmakers with most stagnated bills since the inauguration of the 9th National Assembly on June 11, 2019.

Lawmakers as a matter of their legislative mandate sponsor private or executive bills and in a situation where the bill is popular, it could be co-sponsored with as many senators as are disposed to the bill.

The 9th Assembly’s lifespan will elapse on June 11, 2023 and a look at the ‘bills dumping index’ reveals a damning performance of all the Senators from the three Senatorial flanks of Anambra State in terms of bills they have sponsored, but which were abandoned midway.

The senators from Anambra State are: Stella Oduah (PDP) representing Anambra North Senatorial District; Uche Ekwunife (PDP) representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, while Ifeanyi Uba (YPP) represents Anambra South Senatorial District. Whereas, Senators Oduah and Uche Ekwunife are ranking Senators, Ifeanyi Uba is a first timer to the 9th Assembly of the Young Progressive Party (YPP).

As at the time of this special report, Senator Stella Oduah sponsored 39 bills out of which 29 scaled first reading; 5 scaled through second reading after the general principles were read, debated and were referred to the committees from where nothing has been heard about the said bills again. Also, 5 of the bills haven’t been mentioned at all.

Senator Uche Lilian Ekwunife, though a ranking senator with legislative experience, sponsored 29 bills while in the 9th National Assembly with 13 of those bills passed into law. 1 was assented and 10 of the bills dumped.

Senator Ifeanyi Uba, though a first timer, sponsored 20 bills in barely four years of his sojourn in the 9th National Assembly. 14 passed first reading with none passed into law, while 3 have moved into the relevant Committees and 3 of the bills are at an unknown stage.

This is however, with exception of bills they have co-sponsored with other Senators and their participation in legislative resolutions and motions.

They are all 10 in numbers with a high number of bills dumping index with senators from other states. Senator Sadiq Suleiman Umar from Kwara North Senatorial district. He has 25 sponsored bills to his credit, with none passed into law. While 11 of those bills passed through first reading, 11 are at the committee stage.

Former Governor of Abia State and Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu sponsored 25 bills, out of which 11 scaled first reading with none passed into law in barely four years. Three of the bills have moved to Committee stage while 11 couldn’t be traced or their whereabouts known.

Senator Jibrin Barau representing Kano North Senatorial district and Chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriation who is a second timer to the Senate sponsored 21 bills in the last four years, but 11 of those bills passed through first reading and nothing was heard anymore. Seven of the bills have moved to the Committee stage and 3 cannot be accounted for.

Senator Gyang Istifanus Dung representing Plateau North Senatorial District has registered his name among low performers in terms of bills sponsorship as he has a total of 18 bills, out which none was passed into law, while 11 scaled first reading with 3 others unaccounted for.

Senator Gershom Henry Bassey representing Cross River South Senatorial District sponsored 22 bills in the 9th Senate, but only 10 scaled first reading with zero bills passed, two are the committee stage, while 8 could not be accounted for.

For Rochas Anayo Okorocha, a former governor of Imo State and Senator representing Imo West Senatorial District sponsored 15 bills, 9 of which scaled first reading, none passed, while 2 are the committee stage with 4 unaccounted for.

Senator representing Lagos East, Mukhail Abiru, though a first timer on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, sponsored 15 bills, 6 passed through first reading, none passed into law, 3 are at the Committee stage while 6 are nowhere to be found.

Speaking with DAILY POST on Thursday, a former Senator in the 8th National Assembly who emphasised on the respect he has for his colleagues and pleaded that his name be concealed, cited the lack of commitment by some lawmakers who are either in the lower or upper legislative chamber.

According to him, to sponsor a bill is tasking particularly in the area of research which he said must be aggregated with the needs of the people.

He said: “The bill’s sponsorship starts with a research based on the needs of the people which is not just your Senatorial district, but the entire 109 Senatorial districts. Anything short of that, other lawmakers will oppose the bill during the debate on the general principles.

“Secondly, some senators have encumbrances occasioned by legal issues that distort their commitment to legislative activities. A great number of senators often have to go to court to defend lawsuits. This in my opinion affects their dossier of performance.

“One cannot assess a lawmaker based on the bills sponsored because there are numerous legislative activities like influencing and citing of constituency projects, contribution to debates in the chambers and at committee sittings”, he said.

Meanwhile, the tradition of the lower and upper legislative chambers demands that bills not passed into law within a session would elapse with it and the fears are that all the pending bills may not see the light of the day before the expiration of the 9th National Assembly.
DAILY POST

News

Six Corps Members Receive N10m Grants To Boost Agribusiness

Published

3 days ago

September 22, 2026

Editor

Six members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have received a total of N10 million in grants to expand their agribusiness ventures under the Farmers for the Future Programme.

The programme was organised on Monday by the British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) in collaboration with the NYSC to encourage young Nigerians to embrace agriculture and develop sustainable businesses.

Presenting the cheques to the beneficiaries in Abuja, the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, urged Corps members to maximise the opportunities provided by the service year by venturing into commodity marketing and other viable businesses.

Nafiu said agribusiness remained a viable avenue for young people to build sustainable enterprises, create employment and generate wealth.

He also stressed the importance of value addition to the success and sustainability of business ventures, while commending BATNF for placing Nigerian youths at the centre of its entrepreneurship initiatives through value-chain development, employment creation and its partnership with the NYSC.

“I charge you to spread the news around. We have seen the outcome, and it is a good idea,” he said.

The beneficiaries are Dominic Olufemi (FC/25C/1143), who received N3 million; Temitope Adewole (ED/26A/2251), N2 million; Abdulwaheed Bala (ED/25B/1402), N2 million; Olanike Mayungbe (OG/26B/1037), N1 million; Kingsley Udoeyen (KG/26A/1735), N1 million; and Lorember Lorsue (JG/25B/1742), N1 million.

Speaking on the selection process, the Acting Director, Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED), Mrs Winifred Shopeka, said the programme began with an online registration portal through which Corps Members engaged in agribusiness submitted their business plans.

She said nearly 3,000 Corps members applied and underwent a rigorous selection process that produced 20 finalists.

According to her, the finalists participated in a boot camp and a final pitching session, which produced the 10 best presenters before the six ultimate winners were selected.

Shopeka said the beneficiaries had also been mentored and attached to established market operators to assist them in marketing their products.

She added that Corps Members who did not make the final stage of the competition were also trained by BATNF.

The BATNF Team Lead, Mr Oludare Odusanya, congratulated the beneficiaries and urged Corps Members engaged in agribusiness to master the fundamentals and acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed.

“We are happy with our collaboration with the NYSC, and it will continue,” he said.

Odusanya explained that BATNF was an independent organisation established to contribute to poverty reduction in Nigeria through sustainable agricultural practices and other interventions.

He said the Farmers for the Future Programme was instituted in collaboration with the NYSC to encourage Corps Members to venture into agribusiness and become job creators.

He added that the beneficiaries would be attached to mentors who would guide them towards achieving success in their respective businesses.

According to him, the programme has, since its inception, continued to enhance the entrepreneurial capacity of Corps Members.

News

CBN Reduces Interest Rate To 23%

Published

3 days ago

September 22, 2026

Editor

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Tuesday announced the reduction of the interest rate, also known as Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) to 23 percent.

Briefing the media in Abuja, the Governor of the CBN, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, said at the 307th MPC meeting held on September 22, 2026 agreed the resetting of the MPR and recaliberation of the monetary policy market.

According to Cardoso, the committe is satisfied with the disinflation progress, adding that members noted stable banking sector following successful recapitalisation.

Meanwhile, according to Nigerian Tribune, reports that that the MPC, at its 306th meeting in July 2026, disclosed its resolution to retain the interets at 26.5 percent.

According to the Governor of the CBN, Olayemi Cardoso, “the Committee’s decision to maintain the current policy stance followed a thorough assessment of the balance of risks. Although headline inflation moderated marginally in June 2026, global uncertainties have heightened, due mainly to the renewed hostilities in the Middle East.

“In view of the evolving developments, maintaining a cautious monetary policy stance remains appropriate. In arriving at its decision, the Committee noted the recent resurgence of hostilities in the Middle East, with particular attention to its spillover effects on global energy prices and the potential pass-through to domestic inflation.”

News

NURTW: KWAM1 Settles Long-time Rift Between MC Oluomo, Tafa Sego

Published

3 days ago

September 22, 2026

Editor

Nigerian Fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM1, has brokered a peace deal between the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) National President, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, and the Lagos State Chairman of the union, Mustapha Adekunle, aka Tafa Sego.

The reconciliation took place at Ojusagbola in Ijebu, Ogun State, where several NURTW chieftains gathered for the meeting.

The development was announced on Tuesday on KWAM1’s digital media page on Instagram, alongside photographs from the meeting.

According to the post, the two union leaders have resolved their differences after years of strained relations.

“After years of an age-long rift, MC Oluomo and Tafa Sego have finally settled their differences. And from what we know now, this is final,” the post said.

The musician was said to have intervened as the Mayegun of Yorubaland, with the aim of bringing an end to the longstanding disagreement between the two NURTW figures.

“K1 acted in his role as the Mayegun of Yorubaland by seeking an end to the long-standing rift, once and for all,” it said.

The post also described the meeting as a significant step beyond previous public displays of reconciliation.

“This time, it was not just another handshake for the cameras. The two old friends and colleagues came together at Ojusagbola, with King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (K1) playing the peacemaker.”

Both MC Oluomo and Tafa Sego were reported to be pleased with the outcome of the intervention.

“Both parties are delighted about the new development,” the post said.

The two men had previously been allies and prominent figures within the Lagos NURTW before their relationship became strained amid disagreements linked to leadership of the union in the state.