WorldStage– The hallmark of legislative representation is people represented getting improvement in benefits desired as well as good showing on the chart of dividends of democracy. The 10th Senate is almost running out of term and scrutiny is being done to know how each of the federal lawmakers has fared.
While parameters for determining performance result may vary and not totally encompassing, certain legislative achievements cannot be blurred by that imperfection.
In Nigeria’s 10th National Assembly, performance is typically measured by bill sponsorship, debate contributions, and constituency impact. While the rating tag of “most effective senator” can be subjective, several senators consistently lead in official legislative rankings for the period between June 2023 and early 2026.
Top Senators by bill sponsorship between June 2023 and June 2025, according to analysis by OrderPaper Nigeria and other monitoring groups, listed the following senators as having sponsored the highest number of bills.
Tahir Monguno, representing Borno North senatorial district is often ranked first. Monguno sponsored 23 bills in his first year alone, focusing on security, education, and infrastructure.
Barau Jibrin, the Deputy Senate President and representing Kano North senatorial district follows closely with 22 bills. He also topped the “Private Member Bills Sponsorship Chart” and has been recognized for his high number of debate interventions.
Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate Majority Leader and representing Ekiti Central senatorial district is a top contributor with 17 to 23 bills (depending on the reporting period) and leads in total “Legislative Actions,” which include motions and points of order.
He’s followed by Ned Nwoko of Delta North senatorial district who ranked as one of the most active in constitutional reviews. Nwoko is credited with 27 bills and 20 motions by some reports. He was named “Best Performing Senator of the Year” at the 2025 Democracy Heroes Awards.
Legislative effectiveness is also tracked through participation in plenary sessions. Based on that parameter, Ali Ndume of Borno South senatorial district is widely recognized as one of the Senate’s most vocal and “articulate” members. He often leads in points of order and debate contributions.
There’s also Asuquo Ekpenyong, representing Cross River South senatorial district who has been highlighted for a high volume of constituency projects and environmental legislation, often ranking high in overall state-level performance indexes.
Another ranked senator is Victor Umeh of Anambra Central senatorial district, frequently listed among the top 10 most active senators and recipient of “Best Performing Senator” awards from regional organizations like Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
Summary of top performers in the 10th Assembly by
Senators’ district key metric shows Tahir Monguno garnering highest number of bills sponsored (23), followed by Michael Bamidele leading with total legislative actions (134);
Barau Jibrin emerging as Most debate interventions (38); Ned Nwoko coming with high bill/motion count (27/20) and award winner;
Ali Ndume, rated as consistently vocal and leading in high debate/point of order score.
However, whether Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno is the “best” in Nigeria is a matter of opinion, as performance is measured differently by various groups. But even at that, he is objectively one of the most active and high-ranking members of the 10th National Assembly.
He currently serves as the Chief Whip of the Senate.
Arguments for his high ranking often cite the following achievements:
Highest number of bills – Between May 2023 and May 2024, Senator Monguno sponsored 23 bills, the highest number among all 109 senators in that period.
In a performance assessment of the 10th Senate’s first year, he was ranked as the 3rd best-performing senator overall.
In the area of Constituency Empowerment, he is widely praised in Borno for large-scale “mega empowerment” programmes, which have included distributing hundreds of vehicles (mini-pickups, Jeeps, and tricycles) and providing scholarships to students for local and international study.
Also in the area of Infrastructure & Security, he has been a key advocate for the reconstruction of the Maiduguri–Monguno road and the establishment of the Federal Polytechnic Monguno.
Senator Monguno’s current influence is also tied to his long tenure in the National Assembly. Before moving to the Senate in 2023, he served five terms in the House of Representatives, where he also held the position of Chief Whip. He was appointed as Senate Chief Whip in July 2024, replacing Senator Ali Ndume.
While his supporters view him as a “champion of progress,” some critics and constituents argue that focus should remain on transparently selecting beneficiaries for his empowerment programs to avoid favoritism.
