Tag: Senate

Tinubu Seeks Senate Approval for $8.6 Billion and €100 Million Loan for Vital National Projects Amidst Unveiling of 2024 Budget and Fiscal Revisions

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Tinubu has formally requested the Senate’s approval for a new loan totaling $8.6 billion and €100 million, designated for crucial projects across diverse sectors of the economy. The Senate received the request letter at the beginning of Tuesday’s plenary, read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. In the communication, Tinubu clarified that the request aligns with the 2022-2024 external borrowing plan endorsed during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. The projects earmarked for funding through these loans were carefully selected based on economic assessments and their anticipated positive impact on…

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Senate Directs Reexamination of Failed $460m Abuja CCTV Project and Urges Investigation into Recent Kidnappings

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In response to the escalating incidents of kidnapping in the Federal Capital Territory, the Senate has instructed the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to reevaluate the $460 million spent by the Federal Government on the unsuccessful Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) project in Abuja. The resolution was reached during a session following a motion presented by Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North. The CCTV project, awarded to the Chinese firm ZTE Corporation in 2010, involved a payment structure of 15 percent by the Federal Government and 85 percent by the…

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Senators Challenge Akpabio’s Decision on Senate Minority Leaders

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Tension engulfed the Senate on Tuesday as Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the selection of two minority leaders, prompting an outburst from lawmakers. The positions of Senate Minority Leader and Minority Whip had become vacant following the Court of Appeal’s dismissal of the former occupants, Senator Simon Davou Mwadkwon (PDP, Plateau North), and Darlington Nwokocha (LP, Abia Central), respectively. The court nullified Mwadkwon’s election, mandating a rerun, while Nwokocha was ousted, and Augustine Akobundu of the PDP was declared the rightful winner of the February 25 election in the senatorial…

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Opposition Federal Lawmakers Condemn Imo Election Results as Illegitimate and Call for International Intervention Amid Allegations of Electoral Misconduct

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Federal lawmakers from the opposition, led by Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, the spokesperson for the Opposition Coalition and a member of the House of Representatives representing Ideato North and South Federal Constituency, have vehemently denounced the legitimacy of the Imo governorship election results. Ugochinyere described the outcome as the product of serious electoral misconduct and political betrayal, asserting that those responsible for the irregularities should face arrest and prosecution. Accusing the actors of criminal actions such as announcing fabricated figures in non-election areas, inflating results without proper voter accreditation, and manipulating…

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The House Committee on Public Accounts Issues Final Warning to Heads of Government Agencies Over N300 Billion Audit Queries

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The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts has given the heads of six federal government agencies and a higher educational institution a final ultimatum to appear before the panel within seventy-two hours to address the audit queries amounting to over N300 billion, as presented by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation. The Committee emphasized that this latest summons should be regarded as the final warning, and if the invited heads of the agencies fail to comply, the committee will have no choice but to issue arrest warrants…

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Amos Yohanna Sworn in as Senator for Adamawa North Senatorial District, Replacing Abbo

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The Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau, administered the oath of office to Amos Yohanna, officially appointing him as the new Senator representing the Adamawa North Senatorial District. This development comes following a recent ruling by a three-member panel, chaired by Justice C. E. Nwosu-Iheme, which directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a Certificate of Return to Amos Yohanna, recognizing him as the duly elected Senator. The tribunal’s prior decision affirming Abbo of the APC as the winner of the senatorial election was overturned by the…

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Senate Explains Prado Land Cruiser Purchase: Cost, Durability, and Road Conditions Considered

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The Senate has defended its decision to purchase Prado Land Cruiser Sports Utility Vehicles for 469 federal lawmakers, asserting that the public outcry is misdirected. Sunday Karimi, Chairman of the Senate Services Committee, expressed his disappointment with the media attention surrounding the vehicle procurement, which has become a recurring practice. Karimi, during an interview with journalists in Abuja, emphasized that the Senate took various factors into account, including cost-effectiveness, durability, and the deplorable condition of many Nigerian roads when opting for the SUVs. He argued that the scrutiny of lawmakers’…

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