10th Senate’s Record Should Be Judged By Impact, Not Bills Passed — Group

The Nigeria Integrity Watch has said the performance of the 10th Senate under President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, should be assessed by the impact of its laws and oversight activities rather than the number of bills passed.

The group, in a statement signed by Dr John Samuel Nangi on Saturday, said the Senate had recorded legislative activities in areas including electoral reform, fiscal policy, security, education, infrastructure and institutional oversight since its inauguration in June 2023.

It cited the National Assembly’s legislative tracker as showing that 106 bills had been passed by the Senate as of April 23, 2026.

The organisation listed the amendment of the electoral framework among the major legislative actions of the current National Assembly.

The amended Electoral Act was signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in February 2026 after its consideration and passage by the National Assembly.

The group said the amendment introduced changes to the legal framework governing elections, including provisions relating to the conduct and management of the electoral process.

On public finance, Nigeria Integrity Watch said the National Assembly had also played a role in efforts to restore the January-to-December budget cycle.

It noted that the 2024 Appropriation Act formed part of the process of returning government budgeting to the calendar-year cycle.

The group also referred to tax reform legislation signed into law in 2025, saying the measures sought to alter aspects of Nigeria’s tax administration and revenue framework.

It said legislative activities had also covered the electricity sector, digital economy and data governance.

In the education sector, the organisation identified the Student Loan framework as one of the areas addressed by the current National Assembly, while legislation on the national minimum wage was also listed among its notable interventions.

On security, the group said the Senate had considered legislation and conducted oversight on measures relating to the country’s security architecture and institutional capacity.

It also pointed to the ongoing constitutional review, which has brought issues including state policing, fiscal relations between the different tiers of government and local government administration into legislative discussions.

According to the group, the issues are connected to wider debates over the structure and functioning of Nigeria’s federal system.

The Senate’s screening and confirmation of executive nominees was also cited as part of its constitutional responsibilities, with the group saying the proceedings provided opportunities for nominees to respond to questions concerning their qualifications and proposed responsibilities.

The organisation further said the Senate had exercised oversight over government borrowing and other credit facilities as part of its constitutional role in scrutinising public finances.

Infrastructure projects and government interventions were similarly identified as areas of legislative oversight.

However, Nigeria Integrity Watch acknowledged that the passage of legislation does not automatically translate into improvements in the lives of citizens.

It said the effectiveness of laws would ultimately depend on their implementation, funding, administrative capacity and the ability of institutions to enforce them.

The group therefore said the 10th Senate should be assessed not only on the number of bills passed but also on the extent to which the laws produce measurable changes in governance and the welfare of Nigerians.

It said the record of the Senate would provide material for assessing its contribution to the country’s democratic and developmental process as Nigeria moves towards the 2027 general elections.