Discrepancy in Legislative Figures from Top Senate Officials
At Nigeria’s 2025 Democracy Day joint session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced that 844 bills had been introduced and 96 passed by the Senate between June 2023 and June 2025. However, just days later, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele released a different midterm performance report, claiming the Senate introduced 983 bills and passed 108 in the same timeframe.
This mismatch in figures has sparked questions over the accuracy and transparency of the Senate’s record-keeping.
Akpabio’s Democracy Day Address
Akpabio described the Senate’s output as “unprecedented,” citing the introduction of 844 bills and the passage of 96, with 52 signed into law by the president. He also noted that 18 out of 80 petitions submitted to the chamber had been adopted.
“This commitment is reflected in its extraordinary output,” Akpabio stated. “A total of 844 bills have been introduced within its first two years… 96 bills have been passed.”
Bamidele’s Detailed Midterm Report
In contrast, Bamidele presented a more granular breakdown, reporting:
983 bills introduced between June 13, 2023, and June 12, 2025
108 bills passed into law
506 bills introduced in 2024/2025, a 6.07% increase from the 477 introduced in 2023/2024
83 bills passed in 2024/2025, compared to 25 in 2023/2024
26 executive bills considered in 2024/2025, up from 13
480 private member bills in 2024/2025, up from 464
He also revealed 89 bills awaiting first reading, 230 at second reading, and a decline in confirmed appointments from 215 to 116 across the two years. Petitions addressed rose from 50 to 80.
Major Legislative Highlights
Among the key laws Bamidele listed were:
National Social Investment Programmes Act (2023)
Student Loan (Access to Higher Education) Act (2024)
National Minimum Wage Amendment Act (2024)
Investments and Securities Act (2025)
Regional Development Commission Acts (2025)
Tax Reform Bills (2025)
He described the Student Loan Act as transformative for educational access and credited the Tax Reform Bills with simplifying compliance and improving investor confidence.
Senate’s Focus on Reforms and Oversight
Bamidele reaffirmed the 10th Senate’s commitment to:
Electoral and judicial reforms
Constitutional amendments to promote transparency in judicial appointments and tenure
Both Akpabio and Bamidele are respected legal professionals—Akpabio a former governor, and Bamidele a life bencher in the Nigerian Bar Association—adding weight to their contrasting claims.
Public Concern Over Record Discrepancy
The absence of official clarification over the conflicting figures is raising concerns over internal coordination and transparency in the National Assembly.
While both officials emphasized the Senate’s achievements, the 139-bill difference in reported legislative activity has cast doubt on the integrity of the Senate’s documentation.
The Nigerian Constitution’s Section 4 grants the National Assembly the power to make laws for the country’s peace and good governance. The 10th Senate, inaugurated on June 13, 2023, comprises 109 senators from Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT.
As public scrutiny grows, many are calling for an official harmonized legislative report and increased transparency on the part of Senate leadership.
