Reps Suspend Senate Bills as Rift Grows Over Delayed Concurrence

Ripple as Reps Suspend Senate Bills over Delayed Concurrence on House-Passed Legislation

A wave of concern has emerged across the political landscape after the House of Representatives took the dramatic step of suspending consideration of all Senate-originated bills. The suspension followed growing frustration over the Senate’s repeated failure to act on over 140 bills passed by the House, some of which have lingered in limbo for more than six months. Members of the House formally protested the delay by stepping down pending Senate bills, including key motions such as establishing an orthopaedic hospital in Osun State and a new medical university in Kogi State.

In plenary, Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda lamented that the Senate had consistently ignored the House’s legislation, noting that lawmakers had no choice but to withdraw concurrence as leverage. The Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abass, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that this imbalance is “unacceptable” and warned it could further disrupt the cooperation necessary for effective lawmaking. The abstention, he argued, was necessary to compel reciprocity from the Senate.

But the Senate quickly countered the accusation, defending its legislative conduct. Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele refuted any claims of deliberate delays, revealing that six House concurrence bills were approved just the previous week. They reaffirmed the Senate’s commitment to fulfilling its constitutional duties, stressing that deliberate and thorough review, not negligence, guided their actions.

National commentators warned that such public friction between the two chambers poses a danger to Nigeria’s legislative efficiency. Blocked or delayed bills threaten meaningful governance, undermine development programs, and deepen public distrust in the National Assembly. The direct standoff highlights the need for better inter-chamber coordination, or risk legislative gridlock. Experts suggest instituting firm deadlines for bill concurrence, improving the Rule of Business processes, and establishing a joint oversight committee to ensure smooth passage of critical legislation.

For ordinary Nigerians, the battle over procedural delays has real consequences. Many of the pending bills cover urgent infrastructure, healthcare, education, and social welfare projects whose implementation is now delayed. This tension between lawmakers underscores how institutional breakdowns can have ripple effects on service delivery where it matters most.

As the impasse continues, political watchers are calling on both chambers to de-escalate and restore cooperation. Without urgent dialogue and compromise, the gridlock may worsen, with bills piling up, development stalling, and legislative purpose undermined. Matters are now on the table for rules reform and executive intervention to safeguard Nigeria’s democratic process.