…As Orji Kalu, 24 others bag Semi-Final Certificates
Five out of 469 members of the Ninth National Assembly have made it to the country’s first-ever Most Valuable Parliamentarian (MVP) Hall of Fame.
This was as the Senate Chief Whip Orji Uzor Kalu and twenty-four other members of the Ninth National Assembly received Certificates of performance recognition in the MVP Hall of Fame.
The OrderPper Nigeria unveiled and inducted the five lawmakers during its event tagged “Night of Glamour”, hosted on Sunday night at the Nigeria Air Force Conference Centre, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
A breakdown of the five Parliamentarians who entered into this prestigious MVP Hall of Fame indicates that three out of the 109 Senators and two out of 360 members of the House of Representatives in the elapsing Ninth National Assembly broke records.
In his opening remarks, the Executive Director of OrderPaper, Mr. Oke Epia, explained that what was accorded to the Parliamentarians who made it to the final list of inductees into the Hall of Fame, was not an award as many Nigerians might misconstrue it to be.
Accordingly, Epia noted that the MVP Hall of Fame initiative, which is in furtherance of OrderPaper’s contributions to legislative strengthening and promotion of improved service delivery in the National Assembly, aimed at identifying and sustaining a distinct class of legislators who are performance-driven, excellence-inspired, and public-spirited.
The first person to be inducted into the Hall of Fame is Hon. Samuel Onuigbo, a Second-teem member, representing Umuahia North/ Umuahia South/ Ikwuano Federal Constituency of Abia State on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
A brief citation on him reads: “Hon. Onuigbo qualified to be inducted into the MVP Hall of Fame for the Ninth Assembly, having sponsored four pieces of legislation, including the Climate Change Bill, which was assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2021. The globally transformational, intergenerational, and cross-cutting value and impact of the Climate Change Law, which is now being implemented, stands him head and shoulders above in the discharge of his lawmaking function.”
Another inductee is Hon. Mohammed Tahir Monguno, a Fourth-term Member of the House of Representatives representing Monguno/Marte/Nganzai Federal Constituency of Borno State and Chief Whip of the Ninth House of Representatives.
His short citation reads: “Hon. Monguno’s performance in the area of lawmaking qualified him to be inducted into the MVP Hall of Fame for the Ninth Assembly, having sponsored fifty-three pieces of legislation, including the Nigerian Law Reform Commission Act (Amendment) Bill, Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contracts Act (Amendment), Export Prohibition Act (Repeal) Bill, Constitution Amendment Bills, Digital Rights and Freedom Bill, among others.”
Among the Senators, Senator Yahaya Oloriegbe a first-term lawmaker from Kwara Central Senatorial District was recognized and inducted into the MVP Hall of Fame.
He sponsored 15 Bills while his recognition Category is as follows: Top Performers- Value and Impact Bills
Top Performers – Senate Productivity Index
Top Performers – Senate Newbies
According to his short citation, Senator Oloriegbe qualified to be inducted into the MVP Hall of Fame for the Ninth Assembly, having sponsored fifteen pieces of legislation, three of which have been assented including the National Health Insurance Commission Bill; Psychiatric Hospital Management Amendment Bill; and Mental Health Bill
Also recognized is the Kaduna State Governor-elect and Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Uba Sani, who is a First-term lawmaker.
According to his Bills Scorecard, he sponsored 31 Bills and has MVP Hall of Fame recognition Category as follows: Top Performers- Value and Impact Bills
Top Performers – Senate Productivity Index
Top Performers – Senate Newbies
MVP Hall of Fame’s short citation on him reads: “Senator Sani qualified to be inducted into the MVP Hall of Fame for the Ninth Assembly, having sponsored thirty-one pieces of legislation, including the Banks and other Financial Institutions Act 2004 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill; and the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria Act (Amendment No.3) Bill. Another critical Bill, the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation Bill, has been passed by both chambers of the National Assembly and is awaiting presidential assent.”
Another Senator whose performance earned the recognition and induction into the Hall of Fame, is Yahaya Abdullahi, who is a former Chief Whip and Second-term lawmaker representing Kebbi North Senatorial District, Kebbi State.
According to the OrderPaper’s Bills Scorecard, Senator Yahaya sponsored 7 Bills under the recognition Category of Top Performer, Value, and Impact Bills
A short citation on him noted that “Senator Abdullahi qualified to be inducted into the MVP Hall of Fame for the Ninth Assembly, having sponsored seven pieces of legislation, including the CAMA amendment Bill, 2020.”
Senators Uba Sani and Yahaya Oloriegbe, Reps Samuel Onuigbo, and Mohammed Monguno were physically present at the Glamour Night while Senator Yahaya Abdullahi was represented.
It will be recalled that OrderPaper Nigeria and its partners had in April, announced twenty-five out of 469 members of the Ninth National Assembly as Semi-Finalists for the Most Valuable Parliamentarian Hall of Fame.
All the twenty-five lawmakers who made it to the semi-final list were all given performance recognition certificates including the Senate Chief Whip, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, Speaker of the House of Representative, Femi Gbajabiamila, DSP, Ovie Omo-Agege, Sani Musa, Francis Onyewuchi, among others.
In their various speeches, the inductees commended the OrderPaper for the initiative, saying that it would encourage the members of the National Assembly to put in more effort in their service to the nation.
Uba Sani said: “National Assembly is the heart of democracy, and that is where you have people’s representatives. You should also consider those who have done well in the aspect of representation of their constituencies. The core functions of the National Assembly are lawmaking, constituency representation, and oversight activities. OrderPaper should also focus on lawmakers who are doing wonderful works at the constituency level.”
He dedicated his certificate to the people of Kaduna State and promised that he would diligently serve them when he assumes office as their governor on May 29, also assuring that he was going work in harmony with the National Assembly, to help address the country’s numerous problems.