Akpabio extended holiday wishes to his colleagues, the Speaker and leadership of the House of Representatives, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Nigerian public. The National Asembly has adjourned its plenary sitting until January 14, 2025. The announcement was made by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and the Deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu during Thursday’s plenary, shortly after the passage of the second reading of the 2025 budget bill....
Following a robust debate by senators present, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio referred the budget to the committee on Appropriation to report back in four weeks. The senate has passed for second reading the 2024 Appropriation Bill of ₦49.7 trillion which was presented before the joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives by President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday, December 18, 2024. The 2025 budget presented by Tinubu is themed “Securing Peace,...
Looking forward, the President presented the 2025 budget proposal as a transformative plan designed to revamp Nigeria’s economy. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has presented the 2025 budget to a joint session of the National Assembly, themed “securing peace, rebuilding prosperity.” The budget was presented to a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday, December 18, 2024. In his address to the National Assembly, President Tinubu provided a comprehensive overview of the current state...
The Senate, at today’s plenary, passed the 2024 Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Bill to consolidate existing insurance laws and reduce reinsurance capital requirements, while also addressing insecurity by proposing laws to limit cross-border cattle movement and advocating for modern ranches to curb farmer-herder conflicts. Additionally, the senate upheld the dismissal of a petitioner over job racketeering allegations and rejected a separate wrongful termination petition, emphasizing adherence to due process and existing regulations. Senate passes insurance...
In response to the debate, the senate resolved to take decisive measures to address the security crisis caused by cross-border cattle herding. The senate has mandated its committee on national security and intelligence, livestock and agriculture to liaise with the federal government with a view to establishing modern cattle ranches across the country to reduce insecurity. This is as it also resolved to enact a law limiting cattle movement from neighbouring countries to Nigeria. The...
In a related development, the senate rejected the petition filed by another petitioner against the NDPHC regarding the alleged unlawful termination of his appointment in 2018. The senate has upheld the dismissal of Uwalaka Peter Ebere from the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation, citing his alleged involvement in job racketeering and fraudulent extortion of money from job seekers. The decision, aimed at serving as a deterrent, also directs the Auditor General’s office...
According to Sen. Ngwu, Julius Berger has failed to respond to multiple invitations to provide explanations for the project’s delays and cost escalations, despite receiving over ₦18 billion in public funds. The Senate has issued a warrant for the arrest of Dr. Peer Lubasch, Managing Director (MD) of Julius Berger PLC, following the company’s repeated refusal to appear before the Senate Committee on Works to address concerns over the delayed execution of the Itu-Odukpani Highway...
Akubueze is retiring after serving as senate clerk since March 4, 2022, upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 60. The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has announced the appointment of Chinedu Francis Akubueze, the outgoing Clerk of the Senate, as his new Chief of Staff. The announcement was made during Wednesday’s plenary, where Akpabio commended Akubueze’s years of dedication and service to the National Assembly. This development follows the National Assembly Service Commission’s...
Despite widespread support, Sen. Olalere, expressed concerns about the bill’s feasibility, especially in sectors lacking the capacity for local processing. The senate has passed for second reading, a bill seeking to mandate the domestic processing of at least 30 percent of raw materials before export. This development came during Tuesday’s plenary session, following the presentation of a proposed amendment to the Raw Materials Research and Development Council Act, aimed at promoting local production and value...
Committee members indicated plans to summon other agencies, including the NNPC and NEITI to address discrepancies in their submissions. The senate, through its finance committee, issued a stern warning on Monday, threatening to withhold 2025 budget allocations for government agencies that fail to appear for scrutiny of their 2024 expenditure records.. This warning came during an investigative hearing focused on internally generated revenue, fiscal accountability, and the overall state of Nigeria’s financial management system. The...
