The 8th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was inaugurated this day in 2015.

As it celebrates its 2nd anniversary in a special session today, Senate President Bukola Saraki has delivered a lengthy speech detailing the achievements of the senate, its challenges and prospects for the future.

Here are five things we learned from his speech:

1. The 8th Senate has passed the highest number of bills in Nigerian history

“Today, the 8th Senate has passed 96 bills and 72 petitions in just 2 years eclipsing the highest ever in the history of the National Assembly, a record held by the 5th Senate after passing about 65 bills and 6 petitions respectively within the same time period”

2. It fulfilled its promise to open the NASS budget

“In keeping with our pledge, the National Assembly has opened its line-by-line itemed budget to the world (a first in the history of the National Assembly). The 8th Senate can be credited to have initiated the first-ever National Assembly Joint Public Hearing on the Budget”

3. The 8th Senate has passed bills that will boost the Nigerian economy

“We have for the first time after many decades of trying passed bills that will see us reform the big elephant in the room (the NNPC), also, the Nigerian railway corporation, FERMA, the maritime regulatory institutions, including the Corporate Affairs Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission are other critical general market regulatory structures that we have undertaken and are working very hard to pass into law through a well-orchestrated and comprehensive legislative policy framework. This would enable the Nigerian market join the league of nations and compete favorably as a destination for foreign direct investment and for ease of doing business”

“It is the first Senate to unveil and pursue a self-developed economic reform agenda to aid the ease of doing business in Nigeria and create new frameworks for creating jobs and improving Nigeria’ ranking in the global competitiveness index.”

4. The 8th senate has joined in the fight against corruption

“We have led from the frontline on the war against corruption, having passed several corruption-exposing resolutions that have saved our government billions of Naira cumulatively”

5. On President Buhari’s administration

“This government is sincerely disposed to turning things around but in a much more enduring manner. Let us pray to God to grant our President full recovery and give him the fortitude to continue to pilot the affair of state in the vision he has started with. as for us in the Senate we are firmly and fully committed to his leadership and will continue to do all in our power to support and give him all the encouragement to lead us into a strong united and more virile nation”