By Owede Agbajileke

The job of Nigerian legislators as explained in Section 58(1) of the 1999 Constitution, provides that, “The power of the National Assembly to make laws shall be exercised by bills passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives.”

The Deputy President of the Senate and Delta APC Governorship Candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has shown that being a Presiding Officer is not an excuse for not sponsoring bills in the Legislature.

Between the 8th and 9th Assembly (2015 to 2019 & 2019 to 2023), Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege has to his credit over 40 bills. Some are already yielding fruits like the Federal Polytechnic Orogun, Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun, while others are either awaiting concurrence from the House of Representatives or transmitted to Mr President for assent.

The ranking lawmaker also co-sponsored the all-important Electoral Act which pundits have described as not only a game changer in our elections but also one of the greatest legacies of the Buhari government.

I present to you the 40 bills sponsored by Senator Omo-Agege from 2016 when he was first elected into the Red Chamber till now:

1. Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun (Establishment, etc) Bill, 2016 (SB 226)
2. Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Educational Institutions Prohibition Bill, 2016 (SB 262)
3. 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2016 (SB 329)
4. Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990 CAP C20 LFN 2004 (Amendment) Bill, 2017 (SB 384)
5. National Electoral Offences Commission (Est. etc) Bill, 2017 (SB 469)
6. Nigerian Merchant Navy Coast Guard Security and Safety Corps (Est.,etc) Bill, 2015 (SB 197)
7. Dormant Account Bill, 2016 (SB 381)
8. Court of Appeal Act 2004 (Amendment) Bill, 2016 (SB 382)
9. National Industrial Court Act 2006 (Amendment) Bill, 2016 (SB 383)
10. Federal Polytechnic Orogun, Delta State (Est. etc) Bill, 2018 (SB 549)
11. Chartered Institute of Shipping of Nigeria (Est. etc.) Bill, 2018 (SB 622)
12. Federal Polytechnic Orogun, Delta State (Est. etc.) Bill, 2019 (SB 34)
13. Dormant Account Funds Management (Est. etc.) Bill, 2019 (SB 35)
14. Sexual Harassment Bill, 2019 (SB 77)
15. National Industrial Court Act (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (SB 36)
16. Court of Appeal Act (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (SB 37)
17. Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (SB 122)
18. 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill 2020 (SB 318)
19. 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB 319)
20. 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB 320)
21. 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB 336)
22. 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB 321)
23. 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB 322)
24. 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB 339)
25. 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB 323)
26. 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB 324)
27. 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB 325)
28. 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB 326)
29. 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB 327)
30. 1999 Constitution (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB 439)
31. 1999 Constitution (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB 440)
32. 1999 Constitution (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB 441)
33. 1999 Constitution (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB 237)
34. Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2020 (SB 548)
35. 1999 Constitution (Alteration) Bill, 2021 ( SB 771)
36. Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (Re-introduced) (SB 122)
37. National Social Security Commission (Est) Bill, 2022 (SB 899)
38. Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) Act 2020 (Amendment) Bill, 2022 (SB 910)
39. Council for Certification of Professional Counselors in Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2022 (SB 914)
40. Federal High Court Act (Amendment) Bill, 2022 (SB 1038).