Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin has linked First Lady Oluremi Tinubu’s rise to the country’s highest ceremonial office to her record of punctuality and diligence during her years in the Senate.

Speaking during plenary while backing a proposal to tighten attendance rules, Barau argued that consistent commitment to legislative work attracts both institutional and divine rewards.

He supported a motion that senators’ attendance should be taken at the end of each sitting, rather than only at the start, so that lawmakers who remain in the chamber until adjournment can be formally recognised.

Barau cited Oluremi Tinubu, who represented Lagos Central for three consecutive terms, as his prime example of how such dedication can pay off.

He recalled that she was routinely the first to arrive in the chamber and among the last to leave, describing her as the most punctual senator throughout her 12-year tenure.

According to him, that consistency did not go unnoticed in heaven or on earth, as she now serves as Nigeria’s First Lady following the election of her husband, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Barau told his colleagues that lawmakers were elected to serve Nigerians and must therefore treat their legislative duties with seriousness, discipline and respect for the institution.

Earlier, Senator Abdul Ningi of Bauchi Central had urged the Senate to adopt the practice already in place in the House of Representatives, where attendance is taken at the end of plenary to identify members who stay through proceedings.

Ningi argued that such a system would discourage lawmakers from signing in and leaving early, while also providing a basis for rewarding those who consistently participate in full.

Backing the idea, Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno recounted how he once received an award for punctuality during his time in the House under then Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

Monguno said that recognition for reliability and presence contributed to his eventual emergence as chief whip in the current Senate, reinforcing the message that steadfast attendance can shape political careers.

Oluremi Tinubu served in the Senate from June 2011 to June 2023, building a reputation for discipline and active participation before assuming the role of First Lady after the 2023 presidential election.