• House considered 2,232 bills in 4 years
Memories and emotions went high, yesterday, during the valedictory session of the House of Representatives, as Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila officially dissolved the 9th Assembly.
Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, majority leader, had moved a motion to commence the valedictory session, while Ndudi Elumelu, minority leader seconded the motion.
Gbajabiamila, in his emotion-laden valedictory speech, said the joint efforts in nation building by members were to ensure the dreams of the nation’s founding fathers did not die.
Chairman, House Committee on Rules Business, Abubakar Fulata, said the House considered 2,232 bills and 2,000 motions on various issues.
Fulata explained that the bills consisted of 52 from the executive, 163 from the Senate while 2,017 were private member bills sponsored by members of the House.
The lawmaker further said: “Out of these figures, bills awaiting second reading are 1,197. Bills referred to committees are 581. Bills reported by the committees are 275. Bills pending in the committee are 308. Bills within the committee of the whole are 106.
“Bills laid on table awaiting consideration are 64. Bill far passed are 510. Bills killed (negatived) are 13 and bills withdrawn by their sponsors are 5.”
Julius Ihovhere said he would forever cherish the friendship he made in the 9th Assembly, adding that such relationship would last forever.
He commended the speaker for leading the House well and perfectly and demonstrated that he could manage a diverse group of people.
“In your new roles as the chief of staff to the president, the challenges you will face are more than here, we plead with you not to abandon the spirit of excellence,” he said.
He said Nigeria required the kind of leader with a sense of mission, while urging Gbajabiamila to ensure the Federal Government paid attention to basic education.
Luke Onofiok said members had made relationships that would last forever and commended his constituency for giving him the privilege to serve.
He commended the speaker for accommodating members and relaxing the rules to give new members a voice, noting that the speaker was gentle enough to accommodate their errors.
He urged the House to take the judiciary seriously with salary review.
Yusuf Gadgi, on his part, said: “In my constituency, Muslims are 30 per cent while Christians constitute 70 per cent but they have always sent me here and for using me as a good example of how Nigeria should behave.
“What I want to say is the message of forgiveness, I want, on your behalf and other members, to forgive one another. In this assignments, we must have offended one another.”
His comment on forgiveness generated some uproar, as members grumbled endlessly.
Unperturbed, Gagdi said: “Irrespective of the grumbling, what is right is right and people must learn to forgive others.”
Aisha Duku expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve as the first woman to represent her constituency.
“Mr. Speaker, you have blessed me to bless others, I have changed the perspective of politics in my area because this is the first time that a Fulani woman and a Muslim will come out from that area.”
“I have been able to enlighten people and bring out the women to vote, which hitherto they had not.
“I have participated in bills assented to by the president and today they are laws, I commend my committee as the Chairman, House Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission, for supporting me,” he said.
Duku said she was now a better Nigerian, as she travelled to a lot of places in the country but her only regret was that no gender bill was passed.
In attendance at the session were former speakers, House leader such as Gali Na’abba, Patricia Etteh, Mulikat Akande and some former clerks of National Assembly.