From Staff Writer
The Nigerian Senate has firmly denied accusations levelled by the House of Representatives that it is deliberately stalling legislative bills passed by the lower chamber.
During plenary on Tuesday, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele addressed the matter, describing the allegations as unfounded and misleading. The upper chamber, they said, remains committed to legislative harmony and national interest.
Akpabio dismissed the notion that the Senate had failed to act on House-passed bills, stating, “It takes two hands to clap. We have been attending to the bills from the House of Representatives, and we will continue to work together in the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.”
The Senate’s clarification follows reports that the House had resolved to suspend consideration of bills originating from the Senate, citing a lack of reciprocity. The House claimed that over 140 of its bills—many sponsored by Speaker Hon. Abbas Tajudeen—were languishing without action.
However, Bamidele noted that cooperation between the two chambers remains ongoing. “For the record, we have been doing what we are supposed to do. Only last week, the Senate concurred with six bills from the House,” he said. “While we respect the principle of reciprocity, that does not mean rubber-stamping everything. We have a duty to exercise due diligence in line with our constitutional responsibilities.”
He further revealed that two of the bills listed on Tuesday’s Order Paper were concurrence bills from the House, underlining the Senate’s continued engagement with legislation from its counterpart.
The Senate leadership’s response appears to be a move to defuse tensions and preserve inter-chamber collaboration, which is crucial for the effective functioning of the National Assembly.
“We are guided by national interest, constitutional obligations, and a shared commitment to serve Nigerians,” Bamidele added.
