Why Senate cannot pass quality bills – Senator Abdullahi

Senator representing Kebbi North Senatorial district, Yahaya Abdullahi
has expressed concern over the quality of bills passed by the Nigeria
Senate.

Speaking in Abuja, Abdullahi regretted that the 8th Senate was not
doing well in terms of passage of quality bills six months to the end
of its lifespan.

According to him, the Senate was operating analogue system, noting
that some serious national issues were often presented for debate
without the prior knowledge of lawmakers.

He also stressed that it was possible for the budget to be passed into
law within one month if the upper and lower Chambers were committed,
saying that clash of interest was always a challenge in passing budget
on time.

"Having worked here as a Senator in the last three years, I know it is
possible for us to put our heads together and pass the budget in one
month. But because of the way people want to include their interest,
it often takes this long.

"The second issue is the way Senate operates. We are still operating
analogue system of Senate plenaries in a digital age.

"It is when one gets to the Chambers that you see serious issues.
Issues that are so weighty that one need to see and research before
getting to plenary. It's when we get to chamber that we are given
papers without opportunity of seeing it before hands. How then can we
carry out quality debate?" He queried.

The lawmaker, who is a member of the Committee to look into bills
declined assent by President Muhammadu Buhari, explained that it was a
normal parliamentary practice, the world over, for lawmakers to see
motions in advance.

He backed President Buhari for declining assent to some bills, saying
those bills were not diligently worked on by the legislators.

"The Senate was not diligent in passing some bills into law. We are
only interested in the number of bills passed. It's not the number of
bills passed, but the quality of bills passed", Abdullahi insisted.