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Senate passes 2023 budget in record time
The Senate again made history on Wednesday when it passed, in record time and for the fourth time, the 2023 national budget of about N21.8 trillion.
The Upper chamber also passed a supplementary budget of about N819.5 Billion for 2022 and Finance Bill 2022.
The Senate, on the request of the Executive, approved an extension of the expiration clause of both the 2022 Appropriation Act and the Supplementary Budget to 31st March, 2023 in order to allow full capital releases as contained in the two Appropriations.
The Senate Leader, Senator Ibrahim Abdullahi Gobir explained that: “In view of critical importance of some key projects nearing completion, it is expected to grant the extension of the expiration clause to avoid compounding the problems of abandoned projects, given that some of the projects were not provided for in the 2023 budget.”
In his remarks after the passage of the budget and other businesses slated for the special sitting, the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan congratulated the Senators and the National Assembly in general for keeping to the promise made with respect to the budget cycle.
Lawan told his Distinguished colleagues: “Congratulations to this senate, and let me commend all of us in the ninth Senate for promising and delivering on our promise.
“From 2019, we promised to reverse the undesirable budget circle of where we wouldn’t know, to what is known, January To December.
“This is our fourth budget and our last before the expiration of our tenure. The annual budget, and we have kept to that promise.
“I want to take this opportunity to urge the executive arm of government to implement the 2022 appropriation Act. We have also passed the Supplementary Budget for 2022.
“We expect total implementation. No selective implementation. It should be total because this has been what this administration has always tried to do since we came in 2019, and therefore, the country and the people are better for it that the budgets are implemented.
“Let me also commend the senate and indeed the National Assembly for the innovation, together with the executive arm of government, of passing Finance Bill which always guide the implementation of the appropriations that we pass.
“Previously, that was not the practice. I’m sure this is a worthwhile, very rewarding practice and it will continue.
“We have stood down the consideration of the Ways and Means Restructure. We did so as a Senate, as a body, because we didn’t get the kind of information that we consider necessary as important for us to take a major decision as this, without any let or hindrance.
“We have set up a special committee headed by the Senate Leader and in the membership, you have the committees of Finance, Appropriation, Foreign and Local Debts and Banking to collect all the necessary information.
“And I want to use this opportunity to urge the executive arm of government, especially those agencies that will be invited to appear before this special committee, to cooperate by bringing the right kind of information that we need to be guided properly.”
The Senate has adjourned to 17th January, 2023.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has confirmed that the representatives of the petitioners seeking to recall the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District have now provided their contact details.
In a statement on Wednesday, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information & Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, said:
“The contact address of representatives of the petitioners, their telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses have now been provided in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Commission.”
He added that INEC has formally notified the senator about the recall petition.
“As provided in Clause 2(a) of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024, a letter has been written to notify the senator sought to be recalled about the receipt of the petition and delivered to her official address,” Olumekun stated.
He further explained that the same letter had been copied to the presiding officer of the Senate and published on the Commission’s website.
Speaking on the next step, Olumekun said INEC would now verify the signatures to ensure that more than 50% of registered voters in Kogi Central signed the petition.
“This will be done in the coming days. The outcome, which will be made public, shall determine the next step to be taken by the Commission,” he said.
Olumekun reassured Nigerians that the recall process would be conducted in an open and transparent manner.
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Senate Matters, Senator Basheer Lado, has commended his principal for assenting to South West and South – South Development Commissions Bills as well as the Nigeria Anti – Doping Bill 2025.
Senator Lado who made the commendation in a personally signed statement, described presidential assets to the bills as monumental milestone and testament to visionary leadership and national progress.
The statement reads: “I extend my warmest congratulations to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for yet another historic achievement his decisive and visionary assent to the South-West Development Commission Bill, the South-South Development Commission Bill, and the Nigeria Anti-Doping Bill, 2025.
“These landmark legislations are a clear reflection of President Tinubu’s relentless commitment to inclusive governance, equitable progress, and Nigeria’s emergence as a global powerhouse.
“His Excellency has once again demonstrated that leadership is not merely about policies—it is about impact, legacy, and a deep-rooted dedication to uplifting every citizen.
“By signing into law the establishment of the South-West and South-South Development Commissions, President Tinubu has reaffirmed his role as a transformational leader who prioritizes regional empowerment, economic expansion, and infrastructural excellence.
Building on the foundation of his earlier assent to the South-East and North -West Development Commissions, it is evident that President Tinubu is deliberate in bringing development across all regions.
“These commissions will serve as catalysts for industrial growth, job creation, and social advancement—ensuring that every corner of Nigeria benefits from his administration’s progressive vision. This is the mark of a true statesman—one who understands that a nation’s strength lies in its ability to uplift all regions without bias.
“In the same vein, the Nigeria Anti-Doping Bill, 2025 is yet another bold step that solidifies Nigeria’s commitment to fairness, excellence, and integrity in global sports.
“President Tinubu has once again positioned Nigeria as a nation of high ethical standards, ensuring that our athletes compete on the world stage with honor and credibility. By domesticating the UNESCO International Convention Against Doping in Sports, his administration has safeguarded the future of Nigerian sports, protecting our athletes from unfair practices while reinforcing our global reputation as a country that upholds integrity.
“This momentous occasion underscores President Tinubu’s unmatched leadership—one that is proactive, decisive, and deeply attuned to the needs and aspirations of the Nigerian people.
His ability to enact groundbreaking policies that foster unity, drive economic prosperity, and elevate our international standing speaks volumes of his unwavering dedication to national transformation”.
News
BREAKING: Key contact details missing in petition to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan – INEC
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has acknowledged receiving a petition for the recall of the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District but noted that key contact details of the petitioners were missing.
In a press release signed by Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, the commission stated that the petition was submitted with six bags of documents containing signatures from more than half of the 474,554 registered voters in the district.
However, the covering letter only provided a general location, “Okene, Kogi State,” without a specific address or multiple contact numbers as required by INEC’s regulations.
INEC emphasized that the recall process is guided by the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and its 2024 Regulations and Guidelines for Recall.
The commission assured that once the petition meets all requirements, it will proceed with verifying the signatures using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in an open process involving petitioners, observers, and the media.
INEC is currently making efforts to reach the petitioners through other means and urged the public to disregard speculation on social media regarding the recall process.
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