The Senate has pushed back against allegations by the House of Representatives that it has been delaying concurrence on bills passed by the lower chamber.
During the plenary on Tuesday, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, clarified the Senate’s position, underpinning that the upper chamber has been diligent in attending to bills forwarded by the House.
Responding to recent claims that the Senate had failed to act on over 140 House-passed bills, including several sponsored bills by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, the Senate leader disclosed that the Senate considered no fewer than six concurrence bills just last week.
Akpabio emphasised the Senate’s commitment to working together with the House in the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.
He said that the Senate considered six concurrence bills from the House just the previous week.
Bamidele also explained that the Senate has remained consistent in processing concurrence bills in line with constitutional responsibilities.
The Senate’s response followed a resolution by the House to suspend further consideration of bills originating from the Senate, citing delays in legislative concurrence.
Bamidele assured the public that the Senate was committed to a productive and cooperative relationship with the House, highlighting the importance of legislative harmony for national progress.
The Senate leadership emphasised its duty to exercise due diligence on bills, ensuring that they are given attention in the public interest.
Akpabio noted that the principle of reciprocity governs the operations between the two chambers, but this does not mean that the Senate would compromise on the quality of bills.
