The Senate has dismissed claims that it routinely disregards bills passed by the House of Representatives.
Gatekeepers News reports that Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele described the claims as misleading during Tuesday’s plenary.
Bamidele noted that the red chamber had recently approved several House-originated bills.
He said, “ I want to use this opportunity to respond to what was published in some newspapers about the senate not working on concurrent bills from the house of representatives.”
“Let me say, for the record, that we have been doing what we are supposed to do and that only last week, this senate concurred to six bills from the house of representatives.”
Bamidele emphasised that while both chambers value reciprocity, the Senate will not automatically approve bills that do not align with national interest.
He said, “ Yes, while we have the principle of chamber reciprocity, Mr president, the principle does not necessarily mean for us garbage in, garbage out.”
“We will continue to consider concurrent bills sent from the house of representatives, the same way they also consider our own. We want to ensure that every bill is given attention in the overriding public interest.”
Senate President Godswill Akpabio backed Bamidele’s stance, affirming that the Senate has processed multiple bills from the House and would continue to do so.
He said, “Last week, we attended to about six of those bills, and this week, I don’t know how many. But at least I know we are going to do two today.”
“So please, let our brothers in the house of representatives know that we cannot joke with anything that comes from there. It takes two hands to clap, and we continue to work together.”
The Senate’s response follows criticism from some House of Representatives members, who alleged that the upper chamber routinely sidelines their legislative efforts.
The House of Reps had delayed a Senate bill on establishing a Federal Orthopaedic Hospital in Obokun, Osun State, citing concerns over the Senate’s handling of House bills.
