Pecohub The National Assembly is misleading Nigerians by listing deceased lawmakers on its official directory as active legislators even years after their deaths.
Among the names that appeared on the directory as lawmakers include Abdulkadir Jelani Danbuya, who represented Isa/Sabon Birni in Sokoto and died on October 11, 2023.
According to media reports, Benjamin Kalu, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, announced Danbuya’s demise during plenary the same month he died.
Pecohub also found Olaide Adewale Akinremi, the Ibadan North representative who died suddenly on July 10, 2024, still listed as a lawmaker on the directory. Akinremi (also called Jagaban) died aged 51. His demise was announced by Akin Rotimi, the spokesperson for the House, in July 2024.
Ekene Abubakar Adams, the Labour Party member for Chikun/Kajuru who died in mid-July 2024 after an illness, is also currently listed as a lawmaker on the directory. Pecohub also found the name of Adewunmi Oriyomi Onanuga, the House’s deputy chief whip who died on January 15, 2025.
Pecohub found other examples in the Senate. Okey Ezea, who represented Enugu North until 2025, for instance, is still listed as the lawmaker for that district on the NASS directory. Late Godiya Akwashiki, who represented Nasarawa North Senatorial District and died on December 31, 2025, is still on the directory.
Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua, the chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, announced his passing and attributed it to a prolonged illness.
Despite these public announcements, the National Assembly shows active profile pages and entries for these members.
The 10th Assembly had publicly committed to improving transparency and modernising its digital platforms on many occasions. To start with, digitisation is part of the legislative agenda for this cohort of lawmakers.
This is not the only instance of outdatedness that Media outlets has called the National Assembly out for in the last one year. In April 2025, it was reported how the National Assembly’s order paper and Hansard repositories were left for years without updating.
At press time, NASS’ bill tracker remained an unreliable tool.
Accurate, up-to-date online records are a basic part of that promise and important for citizens, journalists and researchers who track representation and legislative activity.
