ABUJA — Senators Yemi Adaramodu and Sunday Karimi have defended the performance of the 10th Senate, dismissing criticisms that the upper legislative chamber operates as a rubber stamp of the executive.
Speaking in separate interviews as the Senate marked its second anniversary, Adaramodu, who chairs the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, described the Senate’s record as “people-centred”, noting that over 800 bills had been processed, with many already passed, assented to, or at advanced legislative stages.
“We only approve bills that would have direct impact on the citizens. The ones that cannot scale through will not,” said Adaramodu, who represents Ekiti South. “There is no way the executive will bring any bill which is for the advancement of Nigeria and Nigerians that will be rejected.”
He reiterated that the Senate’s core functions—lawmaking, oversight, and constituency advocacy—have been diligently pursued, including interrogations of security chiefs, resolution of public petitions, and infrastructural oversight.
He also highlighted interventions in wage and judicial reforms: “We assisted the executive to ensure that minimum wage was raised by more than 100 per cent… and we also raised emoluments of judicial officers by almost 300 per cent.”
Adaramodu listed priority infrastructure projects the Senate has overseen through appropriation and supervision, including the Badagry-Sokoto Road, the Abuja-Lokoja expressway, and the Kaduna-Kano highway.
Also speaking, Senator Sunday Karimi, Chairman of the Senate Services Committee, described the 10th Senate as responsive and in tune with the needs of Nigerians.
“We have at least lived up to expectations,” said Karimi, who represents Kogi West. “The student loan scheme, increase in workers’ salaries, and the establishment of regional development commissions are all clear examples of the Senate’s impact.”
He noted that despite public perception, the Senate maintains a healthy working relationship with the executive without compromising its independence.
“If you call it a rubber stamp Senate, that’s a mistake,” Karimi said. “We are not out to fight the government; we are out to work with it to impact positively on our people… There are areas we disagree with the executive, and we resolve them, even if not publicly.”
Both senators affirmed that the Senate remains committed to enacting laws and policies that foster national development and protect the welfare of citizens.
