468 Bills Pending As 7th Senate Winds Down

The 7th Senate is leaving a backlog of four hundred and sixty eight bills for the incoming senate as it rounded up its  legislative duties yesterday. 

This information was disclosed by the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, who moved the motion that the 7th Senate be adjourned sine die (which means close of legislative business).

Ndoma-Egba told the chamber, which also had the presence of former principal officers of the senate and members of the house of representatives as observers, that of the 581 bills which the 7th Senate received over the last four years, only 123 bills were successfully passed.

He praised his colleagues for their conducts in the last four years for ensuring effective executive-legislature relations in the overall interest of the nation, saying “this is most evident in the ratification of the State of Emergency proclaimed by the president in the three northern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, as well as the intrinsic support given to the executive in convening the National Conference of 2014.”

He also said one of the most remarkable features of the 7th Senate was that the assembly was not bugged down any scandal or impeachment, which he affirmed has now ensured stability.

“Lessons must be learnt from the last elections- a second term is no longer taken for granted, incumbency has its limitations, impunity is unsustainable anywhere, internal party democracy is the only assurance to electoral victory”, he said.

Ndoma-Egba also had words of advice for the incoming 8th Senate, he urged them to exhibit courage and leadership, saying the security and social vices facing the country is a manifestation of the high level of injustice, impunity and economic deprivation in the country.

According to Peoples Daily, dignitaries who attended the session includes former Senate Presidents, Joseph Wayas ( 2nd Republic) , Ameh Ebute ( 3rd Republic) and Ken Nnamani ( 5th Senate).

Others are former deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, former Senate leader, Teslim Folarin; current and former clerks of the National Assembly and many other former senators.

Meanwhile, Senator-elect, Ben Murray Bruce, recently took to micro-blogging site, twitter and  accused Nigerian lawmakers of enriching themselves at the expense of Nigerians.