Ten Most Vibrant Senators of 2015
The year 2015 has come and almost gone, yet the 8th Senate
has recorded significant progress, as well as faced a number of challenges.
The distinguished Senators of the 8th National
Assembly, under the leadership of Senate President Bukola Saraki have all in
one way or the other contributed immensely to the successes and achievements of
the 8th Senate thus far and most importantly to the growth and
development of Nigeria as a whole.
Below is a list of the ten most vibrant Senators of the
year 2015. These set of Senators have been selected because of either their
eloquent contributions on the floor of the Senate Chamber during debates, their
meaningful Motions or significant Bills.
1. Senator Babajide Christopher Omoworare: Representing Osun-East Senatorial District has contributed
greatly to the daily running of the 8th Senate Legislative
Activities through the Senate Special Committee on Rules and Business. Senator
Omoworare is the Chairman of this Committee and so far it has always delivered
on its duties like producing the Senate Order Paper. Omoworare has also
presented a couple of Bills to the Senate; one of these Bills is ‘Nigerian
Law Reform Commission Act CAP N118 LFN 2004 (Amendment) Bill 2015 (SB. 27)’.
2. Senator Ben Murray-Bruce: Representing Bayelsa East Senatorial District,
Murray-Bruch is commonly known and recognized on Social Media as the man who
speaks about Common Sense approaches to dealing with many of Nigeria’s
problems. This first time Senate has also contributed severally to Motions,
Bills and other matters of the 8th Senate. One of his recent
Bills is the ‘Ward Security Watches Nationwide (Est. ect.) Bill 2015
(SB. 80)’.
3. Senator Ali Ndume is the Leader of the 8th Senate.
Representing Borno South Senatorial District, Ndume, since the inception of the
8th Senate has been saddled with the responsibility of seeing
to the day-to-day running of Senate’s Legislative Activities during plenary.
One of his recent Bills is ‘A Bill for an Act to Establish the
North-East Development Commission in the Federal Republic of Nigeria to address
the devastation caused by insurgency and other matters connected 2015 (SB. 31)’.
4. Senator Stella Oduah representing Anambra North Senatorial District has
presented some important Bills in the house as well; one of the Bills is
a ‘National Youth Service Corps (Amendment) Bill 2015 (SB. 147)’
and has also sponsored a Motion on the ‘Construction of Dams to Remedy the
Perennial Flood Disasters in Nigeria’.
5. Senator Shehu Sani representing Kaduna Central is also known for his vivid
contributions in the Senate. Just like his other colleagues, he has also
presented some Bills and sponsored Motions in the Senate. Recently, Senator
Sani sponsored an important Motion on the ‘Excessive Tuition Fee Charged by
the Nigerian Law School,’ and also presented a Bill on ‘National
Commission for Peace Reconciliation and Mediation Bill 2015 (SB. 74).
6. Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu: Representing Imo East Senatorial District, Anyanwu is the
Chairman of the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions. Anyanwu’s
Committee is evidently one of the most active Committees in the 8th Senate.
The Committee handles all sorts of Public Petitions and other related matters.
Some of the Petitions that were referred to the Committee this year included:
the Petition from one Mr. Nnoke Chinedum against Macmillan Nigeria
Publishers Limited; a Petition from one Mr. Stephen G. Balabacho
and others against the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC); a Petition
from one Mr. Adamu Abdullahi and other disengaged staff of the National
Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS); a Petition from one Usman Pindar
and Nasir Ahmed against Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF);
a Petition from one Engr. Adamu Suleiman Yakubu againstthe National
Universities Commission (NUC), and; a Petition from one Sergeant
Amos Olaniyan against the Nigerian Police Force and many others.
7. Senator Biodun Olujimi: Representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, Biodun
Olujimi has been a very active opposition member of the 8th Senate.
In addition to her great contributions during debates and her constructive
responses to her colleagues on the other side, she has presented quite a number
of Bills. Some of these aforementioned Bills include: a ‘Women Empowerment
and Gender Equality Bill 2015 (SB. 37)’ and the ‘Counterfeit and
Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act CAP
C34 Laws of the federation 2004 (Amendment) Bill, 2015.’
8. Senator Andy Emmanuel Uba: Representing Anambra South Senatorial District, Andy
Uba has presented several Bills in the 8th Senate. One of his recent Bill is ‘A
Bill for an Act to Repeal the Nigerian Railway Corporation Act, CAP N129, Laws
of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and to Enact the Nigerian Railway Bill,
2015, to Provide for the Regulation of the Railway Sector in Nigeria and for
other Purposes Connected Therewith.’
9. Senator Olusola Adeyeye: Serving as the Chief Whip of the Senate and as the
Senator representing Osun Central Senatorial District, Professor Adeyeye is his
role as a principal officer works to maintain order on the floor of the Senate,
and garner bipartisan support for key pieces of legislation. Senator Adeyeye is
also well known by his colleagues and everyone who follows Senate Proceedings
for his unbiased contributions and his passion for the Nigerian Senate.
10. Senator Dino Melaye: Representing
Kogi West Senatorial District, Dino Melaye is a very popular and out-spoken
Senator of the 8th Senate. A key ally of the Senate President,
Melaye has sponsored a number of Motions in the Senate. One of these Motions is
on the “Ailing Ajaokuta Steel Company.” The Senator was also recently in the
news for revealing the mismanagement of Treasury Single Account (TSA) funds.
This piece will not be complete without recognizing
the Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki for his admirable
leadership and running of the 8th Senate thus far. The Senate
Minority Leader, Godswill Ubong Akpabio (Akwa Ibom North West) for
shepherding the affairs of the opposition Senators; Senator Ighoyota
Amori (Delta Central) for the Motion on Gas Flaring in Nigeria
Particularly in the Niger-Delta Region; Senator Abubakar Kyari (Borno
North) who is the Chairman Senate Committee on National Electoral
Commission for successfully conducting the three-day Power Probe; Senator
Mao A. Ohuabunwa (Abia North) for sponsoring a Motion on The Plight of
the Nigerian Medical Doctors in Training; Senator Francis Asekhame
Alimikhena for presenting A Bill for an Act to Ensure full Integration
of persons with Disabilities into the society and to establish a National
Commission for persons with Disabilities and vest it with the
responsibility for their Education, Health Care, Protection of their Social
Economic Civil Rights 2015 (SB. 22), the entire Senate Leadership and
Distinguished Senators from both the ruling party (APC) and the
opposition party (PDP) for all their meaningful contributions.
Nigerians are looking up to you to help make the country a
better place, and we hope much more will be achieved in the 8th Senate
come 2016.
Abang Dove writes from Abuja and she tweets with the
handle @abangdove
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