Says zonal hearings’ll be inclusive
From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele has assured Nigerians that the forthcoming zonal public hearings on the proposed amendments to the 1999 Constitution would be inclusive and participatory.
Bamidele, who represents Ekiti Central Senatorial District, gave the assurance in a midterm statement, yesterday.
“The Constitution Review Committee will soon commence zonal public hearings. We assure Nigerians that the process will be inclusive and participatory,” he said.
He emphasised the need for far-reaching constitutional reforms to correct long-standing structural imbalances in the federation and deepen Nigeria’s democracy.
The lawmaker further said the 10th Assembly had made significant legislative progress, but its vision goes beyond passing bills.
“Our legislative agenda goes beyond numbers. It reflects the National Assembly’s expanded oversight responsibilities and its responsiveness to citizen concerns,” he said.
According to him, between June 2023 and June 2025, 983 bills were introduced, 477 in the first session and 506 in the second, marking a six percent increase. He further stated that bill passage rose more significantly by 232 percent, from 25 in the first session to 83 in the second, while executive bills passed also doubled, from 13 to 26 percent.
The Senate Leader also listed the Student Loan (Access to Higher Education) Act, 2024 and the Tax Reform Bills, 2025 as key legislative highlights.
He disclosed that the student loan programme, administered through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), had received over one million applications, with more than 500,000 students already benefitting. “This is real progress in human capital development,” he added.
On economic legislation, he said the tax reform bills currently awaiting presidential assent were projected to enhance investor confidence and grow Nigeria’s GDP from $363.8 billion to $1 trillion by 2030.
Responding to persistent criticism that the legislature was ‘rubber-stamping’ executive actions, he defended the Senate, saying it is a strategy of constructive engagement.
“The adversarial posture of previous Assemblies often hampered governance. This Assembly has pursued constructive engagement without compromising our constitutional independence,” he said.
He also highlighted increased Senate oversight activities, with the number of petitions handled rising from 50 to 80 in the past year, and 215 executive appointments confirmed during the first session.
Looking ahead, he said the Senate would prioritise fiscal and monetary stability, infrastructure and security and reduce inflation.
He also noted that electoral reform remains a top priority. “We must work together to build a political structure that reflects our aspirations and protects our democracy,” he said.
Reaffirming the Senate’s commitment to democratic deepening and national development, heele called on citizens to actively participate in the ongoing legislative process.
“We are ready for the road ahead, and we invite all Nigerians to walk it with us,” he declared.