Mid-term Review: Senate struggles to satisfy yearnings of Nigerians

When Godswill Akpabio assumed office as Senate President on 13 June 2023, he pledged that the upper chamber of the National Assembly under his watch would prioritise the welfare of Nigerians in its decision-making.

“To the Nigerian people, I say this: your dreams, your aspirations, and your well-being will be at the heart of everything we will do in this Senate. I urge you to remain hopeful, steadfast, and united,” Mr Akpabio said in his inaugural speech.

The senate president’s promise set high expectations for the chamber.

However, two years into his tenure, it remains uncertain whether this promise has been fulfilled. A major reason is the absence of a formal legislative agenda to serve as a benchmark.

Without such a guiding framework, Nigerians are left to measure progress through scattered promises, controversial bills, and incomplete investigations.

Senate composition

The core responsibilities of lawmakers, as prescribed by the Nigerian Constitution, include legislating through bills and motions, oversight of government agencies, screening and confirming presidential appointments, ratifying treaties, and addressing petitions from citizens and organisations.

The Nigerian Senate comprises 109 members, with three elected from each of the 36 states and one from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Conflicting statistics from the Senate

Conflicting statistics have clouded the Senate’s legislative productivity in the last two years.

Presenting the Senate’s scorecard recently, Mr Akpabio claimed 96 bills out of 844 introduced in the upper chamber were passed. However, at a different forum, the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, said 108 out of 983 bills were passed. Nevertheless, some of the bills originated from the executive arm, while others were privately sponsored by the lawmakers.

Bills: Quantity or relevance to Nigerians?

Some of the bills passed and assented to by President Bola Tinubu include the Appropriation Acts, National Anthem Act, Increase in Judicial Officers’ Salaries Act, Cybercrime Act, Death Penalty for Drug Traffickers Act, Extension of Retirement age of National Assembly Staffers Act, and Student Loan (Access to Higher Education) Act.

Others are the National Social Investment Programmes Act, 2023; Minimum Wage Amendment Act, 2024; Investments and Securities Act, 2025; Regional Development Commission (Establishment) Acts, 2025, and the Tax Reform Bills, 2025, among others.

Appropriation Acts: A New Era of “Budget Overlaps”

The 10th Senate has presided over an unprecedented era of multiple overlapping budgets.

In 2024, Nigeria operated three budgets. They are the N21.8 trillion 2023 budget, the N2.17 trillion 2023 supplementary, and the N28.7 trillion 2024 appropriation.

Though the first two were passed by the ninth National Assembly during the administration of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, President Bola Tinubu extended their capital components first to June and later to December 2024, even as the 2024 budget was already in force.

The trend continued in 2025, when the capital component of the 2024 budget, which should have ended in December 2024, was extended twice—first to June 2025 and then to December 2025. As a result, the country is currently running two budgets simultaneously: the extended 2024 budget and the 2025 budget of about N54.2 trillion, which lawmakers raised by N7 billion from the president’s initial proposal.

The presidency and the parliament repeatedly defended the extensions as necessary for project completion.
To be sure, Nigeria had never implemented three budgets in one year since the restoration of democracy in 1999.

Controversial bills passed

National Anthem Act: The swift passage of the National Anthem Bill, which restored the country’s first anthem, drew widespread criticism as a misplaced priority amid inflation, hunger, unemployment, and insecurity. Many Nigerians questioned how a new anthem would address these problems.

The idea first surfaced in a closed-door Senate session in May 2024, where most senators opposed it and called for wider consultations. Yet, within hours, the bill, an executive proposal sponsored by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, passed first and second readings.

Despite the advice of the Attorney-General, Lateef Fagbemi, during a rushed public hearing for wider consultation, the Senate passed it for third reading the next day. The House of Representatives also gave its concurrence, and on 29 May 2024, President Tinubu signed it into law. The anthem was first rendered at the National Assembly’s joint session marking Mr Tinubu’s one year in office.

Meanwhile, many young Nigerians show little interest in the anthem itself.

Judicial Salaries Act: The 300 per cent salary increase for Nigerian judicial officers is another controversial bill passed by the lawmakers. Supporters of the bill argue it would reduce corruption by curbing financial temptations, while critics insist corruption is driven by greed, not low pay.

At a public hearing in May 2024, former Chief Justice of Nigeria Olukayode Ariwoola warned that underpaying judges would hurt Nigerians, while the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Judiciary at the time, Tahir Monguno, said the pay raise would strengthen fairness in justice delivery.

Surveys, including those by Transparency International, consistently ranked the judiciary among Nigeria’s least trusted institutions, with corruption allegations persisting before the recent pay rise. It is now up to the National Assembly to ensure this new package truly improves justice delivery.

Cybercrime Act Amendments: The Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) (Amendment) Act 2024 updated several sections of the 2015 law. The notable amendment was that of Section 44, which imposes a 0.5 per cent levy on electronic business transactions to fund the National

Cybersecurity Fund. Defaulters risk fines of at least two per cent of annual turnover or loss of operating licenses.

While critics see the levy as another tax, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Intelligence, Shehu Buba, argued that it protects national security and the economy. Many other senators also share these perspectives.

Section 24, which criminalises sending offensive or false messages online, has drawn heavy criticism for being used to silence journalists, activists, and critics. Human rights groups say authorities abuse it to stifle dissent, with the Committee to Protect Journalists reporting at least 29 arrests since 2015. A lawyer, Dele Farotimi, was charged under this section after writing on judicial corruption.

Death Penalty for Drug Traffickers: The NDLEA Amendment Bill 2024 initially introduced the death penalty for drug trafficking, but was later revised by the House of Representatives to prescribe life imprisonment instead. The Senate concurred, and the amendment was transmitted for assent.

Nigeria continues to battle a drug epidemic, with widespread abuse of cannabis, codeine, cocaine, heroin, and amphetamines, especially among youths. Despite NDLEA’s efforts, drug use remains high. During a plenary in 2024, Kano South Senator, Kawu Sumaila, accused his colleagues of tolerating hard drug use even in their own spaces.

Student Loan Act: The student loan amendment bill establishes the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to ease access to higher education.

The Act empowers the Fund to provide loans to qualified Nigerians for tuition, fees, charges, and upkeep during their studies in approved tertiary education institutions and vocational and skills acquisition institutions in Nigeria.

NELFUND recently announced that it disbursed over N20 billion in institutional fees to tertiary institutions nationwide, benefiting 192,906 students.

Many have commended this initiative, but some analysts argue that bureaucracy, unclear guidelines, and inadequate funding may risk making the scheme another failed promise. Some believe the bill lacks clarity on repayment structures, coverage, and eligibility, making it more aspirational than practical.

Minimum Wage Act: The Minimum Wage Amendment Bill, passed in July 2024, mandates a new national minimum wage of N70,000 per month for Nigerian workers. The legislation also stipulates that the wage will be reviewed by the federal government every three years to reflect economic realities.

Borno South Senator, Ali Ndume, had criticised the approved wage, arguing that it is insufficient to meet the basic needs of an average household.

Mr Ndume, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), said the approved minimum wage cannot sustain a household because it can only buy 50kg of rice, let alone cover other essential expenses.

The senator argued that hunger and economic hardship have left many Nigerians frustrated and disillusioned with the government. He urged President Tinubu to reconsider the wage level in light of the current cost of living and the need to improve the welfare of Nigerian workers.

To be fair, the N70,000 minimum wage cannot cover the expenses of a Nigerian household. With the current economic condition, many civil servants spend their monthly wages on transportation.

Tax Reform Bills: In May, the National Assembly passed four tax bills, later signed by President Tinubu on 26 June. The bills are: the Nigerian Tax Act, Tax Administration Act, Revenue Service Act, and Joint Revenue Board Act.

The reform replaces Nigeria’s outdated tax system of over 60 levies that yielded little revenue, keeping the country’s tax-to-GDP ratio among the world’s lowest.

The new law introduces reliefs for low-income earners, the unemployed, and small businesses. Individuals earning up to N800,000 annually, households earning N250,000 monthly or less, and small companies with a turnover below N100 million are now tax-exempt. For job losers, the exemption cap was raised to N50 million. Share disposal exemption also increased to N150 million annually.

VAT remains at 7.5 per cent, but essentials like food, health, education, accommodation, electricity, and transport are excluded. Businesses can also recover VAT costs on sales made before the law’s adoption.

Experts and analysts see the new consolidated framework as one of the Senate’s most significant achievements, potentially boosting compliance while shielding low-income earners and small businesses.

Oversight Failures

Beyond lawmaking, oversight is where the Senate has underperformed most.

Despite setting up multiple investigative committees on alleged corruption, abandoned projects, and financial mismanagement, no major probe has been concluded in the last two years. Some of the probes are highlighted below.

Corruption allegation in IPPIS: During the plenary, on 12 July 2023, the Senate resolved to probe the allegation of bribery and corruption surrounding the payment of salaries to staff of Nigeria’s federal universities through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS). The Senate gave the responsibility to its committee on TETFUND and tertiary institutions. However, months later, the lawmakers have been silent on the probe, and no report has been presented.

N30 Trillion ‘Ways and Means’ Loan: Still No Closure: On 20 February 2024, the Senate established an ad hoc committee to probe the controversial N30 trillion ‘Ways and Means’ loan acquired during the Buhari administration.

Led by Isah Jibrin (APC, Kogi East), the committee’s findings were expected to shed light on the usage and accountability of the loan. However, over a year later, the probe remains inconclusive with no report presented to the public or plenary.

$496 million moribund Ajaokuta Steel Company: On 27 February 2024, the Senate constituted a 10-member ad hoc committee to ascertain the reasons behind the moribund state of the Ajaokuta Steel Company and the National Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO) despite the alleged payment of $496 million to contractors between 2008 and now. The committee is chaired by Adeniyi Adegbonmire (APC, Ondo Central), while Mr Sumaila (Kano South) serves as deputy chairman.

The upper chamber directed the committee to report its findings for debate and adoption within two weeks. However, over one year later, the committee has yet to present its report.

Abandoned federal projects: On 23 May 2024, the Senate constituted a six-member ad hoc committee to investigate the abandonment of some federal government projects in different parts of the country, despite spending billions of naira for their construction. The committee was chaired by the Deputy Senate Leader, Oyelola Ashiru. The committee was directed to present its findings within one month. To date, the committee has not submitted its report.

Importation of adulterated fuel by NNPC Ltd: On 3 July 2024, the Senate constituted a 15-member ad hoc committee to unravel the circumstances surrounding the persistent importation of hazardous petroleum products by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL). Mr Bamidele was appointed chairman of the committee. Over one year later, the committee has not concluded its assignment.

Drug allegations against senator: On 22 October 2024, the Senate constituted a six-member ad-hoc committee to investigate the allegations of harbouring drug dealers and promoting the use of hard drugs levelled against Lola Ashiru, the Senate deputy leader. It mandated the committee to present its findings within one week. The committee, chaired by Eyinanaya Abaribe (APGA, Abia South), has yet to submit its report.

Outside of probes, there were other controversial happenings in the Senate, including the crisis in Rivers and regular defections.

Rivers State of Emergency: On 18 March, the Senate approved the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State to contain the political crisis in the state. However, it came under fierce criticism for using a voice vote to endorse such a sensitive issue rather than a clear voting system.

Defections, shortened tenure

In the current Senate, several lawmakers have vacated their seats due to court rulings, ministerial appointments, election as governors, or death.

In October 2023, the Court of Appeal removed the then Senate Minority Leader, Simon Mwadkwon (PDP, Plateau North), and ordered a rerun in which Pam Dachungyang of the ADP emerged as his replacement.

That same month, Abubakar Ohere of the APC lost his seat following a court decision that declared Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan the duly elected senator.

Similarly, Ishaku Abbo (APC, Adamawa North) was sacked by the Court of Appeal and replaced with Amos Yohanna of the PDP.

Two senators left the chamber after their appointment as ministers in 2023 by President Tinubu: David Umahi (APC, Ebonyi South) was succeeded by Anthony Ani of the APC, and Ibrahim Geidam (APC, Yobe East), replaced by Musa Mustapha, a member of the same party. While Mr Umahi serves as works minister, Mr Geidam is the police affairs minister.

In July 2024, the Senate lost Ifeanyi Ubah of Anambra South, who passed awayin London. INEC conducted an election to replace him on 17 August.

It was won by Emmanuel Nwachukwu of APGA.

A month later, Monday Okpebholo vacated the Edo Central seat after winning the governorship election in Edo State in September 2024. Mr Okpebholo will be replaced by Joseph Ikpea, an APC member, who won the 17 August by-election.

In November, Napoleon Bali of the PDP lost his seat to former Governor Simon Lalong as Plateau South senator. At the time, Mr Lalong of the APC was the minister of labour and employment, a position he vacated to take his seat in the upper chamber.

Screening, patronage, and power struggles

During the period under review, the Senate has confirmed over 40 ministers and dozens of heads of departments and agencies, usually with little resistance. Critics see this as further proof of the rubber-stamp label many Nigerians use to describe the Senate.

However, the Senate spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, has repeatedly defended the lawmakers, arguing that the parliament is engaging the executive through principled dialogue rather than being hostile to achieve tangible outcomes for Nigerians.

The upper chamber of the National Assembly also intervened on foreign policy matters. During the political crisis in Niger, following the July 2023 military coup, the Tinubu administration informed lawmakers in August 2024 of an ECOWAS resolution authorising troops deployment to Niger. The Senate, however, opposed the deployment of Nigerian troops, opting for a diplomatic rather than military approach.

In November 2023, the chamber passed a resolution calling for an end to the violence between Israel and Palestine, particularly in Gaza. Lawmakers urged the Nigerian government to work with other nations toward securing a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Beyond the rubber-stamp perception, the Senate under Mr Akpabio’s leadership also faced impeachment speculations. The crisis was subdued largely through loyalty to the presidency and by appeasing lawmakers with over 70 standing committees, more than any previous session of the Senate in Nigeria’s history.

Defections

The 10th Senate began with a slim majority for the ruling APC, which held 59 seats. The opposition had 41 seats, with the PDP holding 36, LP 7, NNPP and SDP 2 each, while APGA and YPP had one senator each, completing the 109-member chamber.

As of today, the APC has expanded its dominance to 71 seats, edging closer to a two-thirds majority. The PDP has shrunk to 28 seats, LP to 5, while both NNPP and SDP now hold just one seat each.

APGA has retained its single seat, whereas the YPP has lost its representation in the Senate following Mr Ubah’s defection to the APC before his death.

With ongoing speculations of further defections to the ruling party, many believe that if the APC secures the two-thirds threshold of the 109-member chamber, it will significantly ease the presidency’s ability to secure legislative approvals.

Modernisation and Constitutional Review

Despite past promises, electronic voting remains absent. Although the constitution review processes are ongoing, the progress is slow. Nigerians remain sceptical that such exercises will yield substantive reforms.

Even in the chamber where laws are made, the lawmakers have facilities for electronic voting, but they refrained from using them. Unlike some foreign parliaments where electronic voting is routine, the Nigerian Senate still relies on voice voting or manual roll calls.

Suspension

So far, two senators have been suspended in the 10th Senate, both from the opposition.

In March 2024, Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central) was suspended for three months after alleging that the 2024 budget was inflated by N3.7 trillion, a claim the Senate dismissed as false and misleading.

His refusal to retract the allegation or apologise led to his suspension under legislative conduct rules. However, before the suspension ran its full course, he was recalled after the Minority Leader, Abba Moro, sponsored a motion appealing on his behalf.

The second case involved Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was suspended in March over alleged misconduct during plenary. She challenged the suspension at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where Justice Binta Nyako ruled that suspending a senator for six months was excessive and unconstitutional, as it deprived the Kogi Central constituency of representation.

READ ALSO: Audit Report: Senate gives NNPCL three weeks to respond to queries on N210trn

The court advised the Senate to reinstate her but stopped short of issuing a binding order for her recall.

Following the judgment, Mr Akpoti-Uduaghan, through her lawyer, Michael Numa (SAN), wrote to the Clerk of the National Assembly, notifying her readiness to resume legislative duties on 15 July and urging urgent compliance to avoid contempt of court.

The Senate, however, maintained that the ruling contained no explicit directive compelling her reinstatement. Mr Akpabio has since taken the matter to the Court of Appeal, challenging the Federal High Court decision that invalidated her suspension.

Stakeholder’s views

Auwal Musa, the executive director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), in a report sent to PREMIUM TIMES, noted that while the session of the National Assembly has made some efforts at oversight and public engagements, the impact remains limited by institutional weakness, political capture, and poor accountability culture.

To fulfil its constitutional demand and rebuild public trust, Mr Musa said the “National Assembly must prioritise structured civic involvement and a more assertive oversight posture. Nigerians deserve a legislature that listens, represents, and holds power accountable.”

For his part, Mboho Eno, deputy director of accountability at the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), says the legislature does not reflect Nigerians’ democratic aspirations.

“The 10th Assembly does not reflect the democracy that citizens yearn for. Apart from the lack of a documented legislative agenda by the Senate, the accountability and transparency levels remain questionable,” he said.

Mr Eno, who oversees UDEME, a platform that tracks government spending, criticised the National Assembly’s leadership for failure to prioritise gender issues.

“The senate president had an excellent opportunity to match his words with action during the Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan debacle, which would have responded to gender issues as a priority, but that opportunity wasn’t taken,” he said.

He further criticised the National Assembly’s apparent disconnect from ordinary Nigerians’ economic challenges.

He said, “In relation to the economy, the Senate appears to be ‘eating’ while the masses are hungry. There have been opportunities in the last two years for the Senate to stand with the people, but it has failed, like the #EndBadGovernace protest inspired by hunger due to economic hardship. In reality, NASS isn’t speaking for the people as more people are getting poor.

“The National Assembly needs to do more for the people. Currently, that is not the case. Citizens know the 10th NASS as a “rubber stamp,’ which isn’t good for our democracy.”

Ifeanyi Odili, president of Campaign for Democracy (CD), echoed similar sentiments in a statement to PREMIUM TIMES, arguing that a National Assembly without a clear agenda is directionless.

“Because the current NASS lacks a concrete agenda, its actions appear self-serving rather than nation-focused. They spend time on trivial matters instead of addressing serious national issues,” Mr Odili said.

If the remaining two years of this legislative cycle are to have a meaningful impact, the Senate should redirect its focus toward people-centred legislation and stronger oversight of executive actions. Anything short of that will increase the perception that Nigerian lawmakers are working hard, but not necessarily for the people.