Barau, Highest Private Member Bills’ Sponsor In Senate, Bags Award

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja 

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, has emerged as the sponsor of the highest number of private member bills in the 10th Senate.

Records on Private Member Bills sponsorship among serving senators in the 10th National Assembly, obtained from the Rules and Business office indicated that Barau has to his credit 21 bills within the last 18 months.

One of the  21 private member bills sponsored was the North West Development Commission Bill, now an Act of Parliament legalising the creation of the North West Development Commission (NWDC) after being assented to by President Bola Tinubu.

As a result of his achievements, despite being a presiding officer, journalists covering the Senate has decided to honour him with the award for the highest number of private member Bills sponsorship. 

The Chairman of the Senate Press Corps, Mr James Itodo, while presenting the award, said the Deputy President of the Senate was honoured based on performance as contained in the records and not on anything else.

Itodo said: “The Deputy President of the Senate, Distinguished Senator Barau I. Jibrin, topped the private member Bills Sponsorship Chart of the 10th Senate from June 13, 2023, to date. 

“It is against this background that members of the Senate Press Corps, comprising all representatives of media outfits in Nigeria and beyond, deem it fit to bestow the Highest Development Driven Bills Sponsorship Award on him.”

Barau, in response to the honour, said it would make him to do more. 

He said: “Your recognition of my legislative inputs in the Senate within the last 18 months, particularly on a series of development-driven bills sponsored so far, will energise and propel me further to do more.

“Once you are given an award, it tells you to do more. To whom much is given, much is expected. 

“This, to me, is also considered your contribution to ensuring the legislature remains vibrant.

“Once you identify those who are doing well and honour them through awards of this nature, that will create some kind of competition and propel others to do more so that they can be recognized at some other time in the future.”