The Senate has dismissed allegations by the House of Representatives that it has consistently delayed concurrence to key legislative proposals from the green chamber, affirming its commitment to collaborative lawmaking in the national interest.
During Tuesday’s plenary at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, alongside the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, clarified the Senate’s position, stating unequivocally that the red chamber does not treat concurrence bills from the House with levity.
Akpabio emphasized that the Senate had considered no fewer than six concurrence bills from the House just last week alone, adding, “It takes two hands to clap. We have been attending to the bills from the House of Representatives, and we will continue to do so in the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.”
This clarification comes in response to a resolution by the House of Representatives to suspend further consideration of Senate-originated bills, citing the Senate’s alleged delay in acting on over 140 bills previously passed by the House—including many sponsored by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen.
Senator Bamidele, while presenting some of the House bills at the plenary, further debunked the claims, stating: “The first two items on today’s Order Paper are concurrence bills from the House. Just last week, the Senate concurred to six bills from the House of Representatives. We have always upheld the principle of reciprocity, but that does not mean rubber-stamping. Our duty is to exercise due diligence.”
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He reaffirmed the Senate’s dedication to its constitutional responsibilities, stressing that legislative scrutiny is key to ensuring that all bills—whether from the Senate or the House—serve the overriding public interest.
“We will continue to attend to concurrence bills as expected of us under the 1999 Constitution (as amended). Our commitment remains steadfast,” Bamidele concluded.
