Politics
Senate’s report on N54.2trn 2025 national budget ready this week – Akpabio
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Senate would receive the report of N54.2 trillion 2025 budget from its Committee on Appropriations for possible passage into law this week.
The president of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, who dropped the hint during plenary on Tuesday, said the Committee on Appropriations, chaired by Senator Solomon Adeola, APC Ogun West, is expected to present the report on Wednesday or Thursday.
President Bola Tinubu had on December 18, 2024 presented a total budget of N49.7 trillion to a joint sitting of the National Assembly but later increased it to N54.2 trillion, citing additional revenue of N4.5 trillion from the generating agencies like the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS; Federal Inland Revenue Services, FIRS and other Government Owned Enterprises, GOEs.
Akpabio, in his remarks after debate on a bill seeking for the establishment of a Federal University of Agriculture in Abak, Akwa Ibom State, on Tuesday, said there was need for them to quickly end the debate for final work on the 2025 budget.
“You will observe that some of our colleagues are not in the chamber because of the required final touches on the 2025 Appropriation Bill, the report of which will be laid before us tomorrow (Wednesday) or next tomorrow (Thursday) this week.
“So, we need to close early to allow for collective efforts in that direction for final consideration and passage of the 2025 Appropriation Bill,” he said.
Recall that both the Senate and the House of Representatives had earlier fixed January 31, 2025 for passage of the N49.7 trillion earlier proposed budget for 2025 by President Tinubu.
However, before the date, both chambers shifted their resumption from Christmas and New Year recess from January 31, 2025 to February 4, 2025, the very day they both received communication from the President on increase of total expenditure profile of the proposed budget from N49.7trillion to N54.2trillion.
Both Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas in their separate remarks after reading the letter, said the budget proposals would have to be reprocessed for inclusion of additional N4.5 trillion.
Specifically, Akpabio, after reading the letter, urged the committee on Appropriations to expedite action on the request for possible passage of the budget before the end of February.
Apparently in line with the expeditious consideration of the request, Akpabio during plenary on Tuesday, announced that report on the now increased budget size of N54.2 trillion will be laid in the Senate on Wednesday or Thursday this week.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, on Friday declared that he’s still a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Wike’s comment followed his expulsion from the party by the faction led by National Chairman, Kabiru Turaki.
Turaki had formally dispatched expulsion certificates to 11 prominent party chieftains, including Wike, former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Umaru Bature, Kamarudeen Ajibade, SAN, Abdurahman Muhammad Senator Mao Ohuabunwa.
He said their expulsion was aimed at sanitising the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Reacting to the development on Friday, Wike dismissed the claim while assuring that he would continue to work with other party members in making PDP a relevant opposition party.
The minister spoke while addressing journalists after inspecting the Interchange bridge and road linking Gwarinpa with Jahi and direct to Katampe, Gishiri and Maitama.
He said, “Those that are factionalized are bound to leave the party, I’m still in PDP and you can see that not everybody has left.
“We still have good numbers and we will continue to work together and that’s what I have said to the party. Put your house in order because at the end of the day, if you don’t put your house in order, it’s the party that is losing.
“So those who are worried, we can work together to see how the party can remain a relevant opposition.”
The governments of Abia and Imo States have announced the launching of a joint security taskforce and surveillance along the Aba-Owerri expressway, starting from Owerrinta in Abia State all the way to Owerri, Imo State.
The launch followed recent attacks by criminals on the expressway, including kidnapping, armed robbery and other criminal activities.
The formation of the joint security taskforce and surveillance was announced by Ferdinand Ekeoma, the Special Adviser to Governor Alex Otti on Media and Publicity.
His statement read in part: “Arising from a strategic emergency security meeting held today, 4th December, 2025, by the Governors of Abia and Imo Sates at the Imo State Government Owerri House, His Excellency Governor Alex Otti and His Excellency Senator Hope Uzodinma resolved to set up a joint security Taskforce that shall consist of Soldiers, Naval Personnel, Police Officers , DSS Personnel, and other Government Security Agencies.
“The joint security Taskforce shall, starting from tomorrow 5th December 2025, patrol the road 24 hours nonstop, while carrying out massive surveillance in the surrounding bushes using sophisticated drones and other modern security equipment.”
According to the statement, Governor Alex Otti commended the Governor of Imo State for arresting the criminals who carried out an attack on His advanced team and other passengers a few days ago.
“The two Governors, while assuring citizens plying the road on a daily basis and those returning home for Christmas of their safety and security, warn that there would be severe consequences for any criminal caught on the road going forward”, Ekeoma concluded.
President Bola Tinubu has transmitted to the senate two lists of 34 career and 31 non career ambassadors nominees for screening and confirmation.
Prominent names listed as non career ambassadors include Reno Omokri, Femi Fani-Kayode, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, Victor Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Also listed as non career ambassadors nominees are Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Vice Admiral Ete Ibas, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Senator Nora Daduut, Fatima Ajimobi, and Senator Ita Enang among others.
The two lists brings to 68 number of persons nominated so far as ambassadors awaiting confirmation by the Senate.
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