10th NASS:  Omirin, Oladebo Fail To Sponsor Bills In One Year

• As Osun Lawmakers Rake 47 Bills
• Parliamentarians Should Focus On Bills That Will Solve Economic, Governance Challenges – Analysts

Ten Osun federal lawmakers sponsored 47 bills, representing 2.84 percent of the total number from the Senate and House of Representatives in one year, OSUN DEFENDER gathered.

The medium learnt that members of the 10th Senate and House of Representatives processed a total number of 1,650 bills in the year under review. In the list, lawmakers representing Osun state account for 47 bills, representing 2.84 percent of the tally.

However, 75 percent of these bills are yet to scale through second reading, while 25 percent are awaiting consideration.

According to Order Paper’s detailed analysis of bills processed between June 2023 and May 2024, the three senators representing the state account for 7 of the 475 bills sponsored in the senate while the nine representatives from the state account for 40 of the 1175 bills recorded in the green chamber.

Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi representing Osun Central sponsored three (3) bills, while Senators Olalere Oyewumi representing Osun West and Francis Fadahunsi representing Osun East sponsored two (2) bills each. The duo of Oyewumi and Fadeyi are first-term senators.

Meanwhile, in the House of Representatives, Rep. Oluwole Oke, representing Ibokun/Oriade federal constituency for a sixth (6th) term, sponsored 21 bills, putting him at the top of the chart.

Rep. Bamidele Salam representing Ede North/South/Egbedore/Ejigbo and Ajilesoro Taofeek representing Ife Central/East/North/South recorded 5 bills each.

Also, Rep. Akanni Ademola (a newbie) representing Boluwaduro/Ifedayo/Ila federal constituency accounts for three of the (3) bills. Rep. Mudashiru Lukman representing Ayedire/Iwo/Ila, Rep Adewale Adebayo representing Irepodun/Olorunda/Osogbo/Orolu, and Rep. Adetunji Olusoji representing Odo-Otin/Ifelodun/Boripe each accounted for two (2) bills each.

Of all the lawmakers, OSUN DEFENDER observed that only Olusanya Omirin representing Atakunmosa East/Atakunmosa West/Ilesa West and Oladebo Omoleye representing Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan have failed to sponsor any bill since their inauguration as federal lawmakers in June 2023.

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Parliamentarians Should Focus On Bills That Will Solve Economic, Governance Challenges – Analysts

Meanwhile, the lawmakers have been charged to focus on sponsoring bills and motions that will address the multi-faceted issues of governance and the economy.

A public affairs analyst, Comrade Akin Akanji in an interview with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, charged the parliamentarians from the state and beyond not to focus on duplicating agencies or attracting federal government presence to their constituencies alone, but sponsor bills that will address the developmental yearnings and aspirations of the people.

“Law-making is not about facilitating development to their constituencies. It is about facilitating the wind of change and progressive governance to the people they serve. That is why the legislators at the federal level must work more on the economy and good governance.

“It is not all about nominating projects and sponsoring bills to create University of Agric or University of Chemical Engineering in Agurodo because you are an influential lawmaker, it is about looking at addressing why petrol is now above N1,100/litre or how the prices of goods and services is daily skyrocketing.

“For us at Centre for Social Justice and Public Protection (CSJPP), we are focused on making the lawmakers do more for those that bring them to power. That is the essence of leadership,” Akanji stated.

Also in his remarks, the Executive Director, Insight Initiative for Community and Social Development, Jare Tiamiyu called on the federal lawmakers to drive legislation that will boost the fortunes of the masses and hold government accountable.

Tiamiyu said, “Our nation stands at the threshold of sustainable development amidst the raging hunger, huge unemployment, bad governance, and serious leadership inefficiency. We must at this juncture seek initiatives and aim to address these anomalies by being at the forefront of change.

“In the last few years, our team through the OsunOpenLG have provided platforms for youth awareness and participation in initiatives aimed at reducing the information gap on how the nation’s leaders have utilised our resources for development. That is what the lawmakers should do too as the essence of leadership. Let them address the hunger and poverty in the land with their legislation. That is why they are there to check the Executive,” Tiamiyu stressed further.