President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki has hailed the support and loyalty he has received from his colleagues in the last one year.

This is as the Senate disclosed that it has passed 11 out of 300 Bills received within the period under review.

Saraki who spoke at a special session to mark the first anniversary of the 8th Senate, pledged to remain fair and open to all senators irrespective of party differences.

Noting that the upper legislative chamber had grown from divisions earlier in its formative stage, said it was gratifying that all had decided to embrace peace.

He said: “One year ago, this Senate appeared irreparably divided against itself. Today, we have overcome that division and we are able to work with greater unity and fraternity.

“I want to commend every one of us for this. On our side in the leadership, we would like to assure you that we would continue to ensure fairness and justice for every Senator and preserve the dignity of the red chamber.

“I thank you for the unalloyed support I have and continue to receive from you in the last one year. This has been unprecedented and I do not take it lightly: this unique support has been steady, bipartisan, and unconditional.

“Your support has been the bulwark bone on which my belief in the emergence of a greater Nigeria rest.”

He however enjoined his colleagues to brace up to the challenges of the future, saying Nigerians depended on their representatives to make a difference in their lives.

“Dear colleagues, even as we continue to focus on those big things that we have not achieved, we must also have the courage to celebrate the things that we have achieved,” Saraki stated.

Meanwhile, the Upper Chamber has reeled out its achievements in terms of legislative action saying that 11 of 300 bills were passed and awaiting assent by President Muhammadu Buhari within the last one year.

Chairman, Senate committee on Rules and Business, Senator Babajide Omoworare (APC, Osun) disclosed this while briefing journalists after plenary at the National Assembly on Thursday.

Omoworare also said that the Senate had within the period, passed 96 resolutions and made confirmations of various Executive nominations into cabinet posts and heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

He said of the 300 bills introduced, four were Executive bills, while the rest were sponsored by private members.

He also gave a further breakdown of the Bills saying, 186 were at the first reading stage while 45 had passed second reading and referred to relevant committees while 3 were withdrawn for representation by their sponsors.

Omoworare further told the media that the Senate received a total number of 159 petitions mostly bordering on wrongful termination of appointments. ORDERPAPER.NG