The Nigerian Senate has dismissed claims by the House of Representatives that it is stalling legislative progress by delaying concurrence on bills passed by the lower chamber.
Speaking during plenary on Tuesday, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele strongly defended the upper chamber’s track record, asserting that the Senate has remained diligent and consistent in handling concurrence bills from the House.
Their clarification comes in response to a recent move by the House to suspend further consideration of Senate-originated bills.
Lawmakers in the green chamber had cited frustration over what they described as persistent delays in the Senate’s concurrence on more than 140 bills, including several sponsored by House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
But Akpabio maintained that the Senate values collaboration with the House, stating: “We cannot joke with concurrence bills from the House of Representatives. We are committed to working together in the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians. It takes two hands to clap.”
Senate Leader Bamidele further explained that the red chamber had, just last week, concurred on six bills forwarded by the House. He said, “For the record, we have been doing what we are supposed to do. Only last week, the Senate concurred on six bills from the House of Representatives. We know we have the principle of reciprocity that governs our operations, but this does not necessarily mean garbage in, garbage out.”
He emphasized the Senate’s constitutional obligation to thoroughly review all legislation, noting that diligence—not delay—guides their actions.
“We will continue to consider concurrence bills from the House of Representatives in the same way they considered our bills,” Bamidele said. “We will ensure that it is given attention in overriding public interest.”
The Senate leadership reassured the public and their counterparts in the House that it remains committed to a harmonious and productive legislative process, describing legislative cooperation as essential to national development.
What You Should Know:
Amid tensions between the two chambers, the Senate has firmly denied stalling House bills and says it remains committed to legislative diligence and national interest.
Leaders emphasized that six concurrence bills were recently processed and called for mutual respect and collaboration.
