The Nigerian Senate will resume legislative activities on Tuesday, after a two-month recess that began on July 23. A major item on the agenda of the upper chamber is the 2025 appropriation Bill which is expected from the presidency in October.
The Senate, as part of its tradition, is expected to invite various heads of the federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to account for their budget performances before its standing committees.
Jibrin Barau, the deputy Senate President confirmed ahead of resumption that the Senate is ready to commence work on the 2025 budget and has already intensified oversight on the implementation of the 2024 budget to ensure that MDAs comply with provisions.
“We are ready to begin the processing of the 2025 Appropriation bill, because we know that by tradition, the budget will presented in the month of October”, he said.
“As we speak Senator’s are going round in their oversight functions trying to look at the performance of the 2o24 budget”, he added.
The Senate had expressed its commitment to maintaining the January to December budget implementation. Lawmakers had expressed concern that the 2024 budget, presented in late November, was delayed, forcing a rushed budget defence process. President Bola Tinubu is expected to present the 2025 budget earlier, following recommendations from lawmakers.
Another key issue which the Senate has promised to take action on is the ongoing flooding in the country notably in Borno.
Floods have displaced an estimated 300,000 people and claimed 37 lives, with over a million people affected overall. Heavy rainfall caused the collapse of the Alau Dam near Maiduguri, the worst flooding in 30 years. Additionally, 11 other states are at risk of severe flooding due to the release of water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.
In response, the Chairman of Northern Senators Forum, Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua said the Senate would enact laws aimed at mitigating the effects of environmental disasters in the country.
Another high-priority task is the screening and confirmation of Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the Chief Justice of Nigeria. She was sworn in by President Tinubu at the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja on August 22, 2024, following the retirement of her predecessor, Olukayode Ariwoola.
Additionally, the Senate may act on some key pending bills including the amendment of the Central Bank Of Nigeria Act, the NDIC Act and the pension reform bill, among others. The Senate has already held public hearings on a bill to amend the NDIC Act and pension reform bill.
Another notable legislation which the Senate may consider is the controversial minimum age of 18 for entry into the university. Muntari Dandutse, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, who drummed his support for the age limit promised that his committee would come up with legislation to support this policy ahead of its implementation next year.
Constitutional amendments are also expected on the Senate’s agenda, including proposals for local government autonomy and the creation of new states. Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President has said that the Senate will tinker with the constitution to allow the Supreme Court Judgement on local government autonomy to be implemented.
Additionally, one Bill entitled “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (Creation of Tiga State) Bill, 2024,” and sponsored by Senator Kawu Suleiman Abdurrahman, representing Kano South seeks to create Tiga State in Kano, while another, sponsored by Ned Nwoko, the Senator representing Delta North. proposes the establishment of Anioma State in the South-East.
Nwoko’s bill seeks to amend three sections of the 1999 Constitution to replace the word “36” with “37” to accommodate the new state and adding “Anioma” immediately after “Delta” in the list of states.
The proposed Anioma State would encompass the local government areas of Aniocha North, Aniocha South, Ika North-East, Ika South, Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West, Oshimili North, Oshimili South, and Ukwuani, with Asaba designated as the state capital.
Another potential development is the possible reinstatement of Ali Ndume who was on July 17 stripped of his position as the Senate Chief Whip following a request to the Senate by the APC leadership for criticizing Tinubu’s government.
In a letter signed by Abdullahi Ganduje, the APC National Chairman, and National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, the APC had requested the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to remove Ndume as the Chief Whip for his “unguarded utterances” that were “against the federal government.”
He was immediately replaced by Tahir Monguno, the Senator representing Borno North. But Ndume has since apologized to the ruling party. In response, the APC national chairman, who described the matter as a family affair, said Ndume had been forgiven and the party would write to the Senate to restore his position as the Chief Whip.
Before the Senate embarked on its recess it approved the N6.2 trillion supplementary budget. The senate also approved the N70,000 minimum wage bill and amended the Finance Act to impose a 70% windfall tax on banks’ FX gains in a bid to shore up revenue for government.
