The Nigerian Senate Thursday passed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s N2.18 trillion 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Bill.
This was in a prompt response to the President’s written request to the red chamber.
President Tinubu had reportedly written a letter to the Senate seeking its consideration on the proposed appropriation bill.
Acknowledging receipt of the letter, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio read the letter during plenary on Tuesday after which the request was given expeditious consideration.
Similarly, on Thursday, the Red Chamber expressly approved the budget after the Chairman, Senate Committee of Appropriations; Solomon Adeola laid the report at the chamber.
Recall that the committee on Appropriations on Wednesday interfaced with the ministers heading the agencies captured in the supplementary budget.
The Ministers include; the Minister of Works, David Umahi; the Minister of Housing, Ahmed Dangiwa and Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari; the Minister of State for Defence, Hon Bello Matawale as well as Service Chiefs.
In another development, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio Thursday, swore in in Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as Senator representing Kogi Central.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s election, which was confirmed by the Kogi National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, was upheld by the Appeal Court on Monday, according to media reports.
The newly sworn senator was dragged to Court by her opponent and candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Abubakar Ohere, who challenged her electoral victory at the lower court.
Ohere reportedly lost and went on to challenge the PDP candidate’s victory at the appellate court.
The appellate court, in its ruling however, upheld the earlier judgment of the Tribunal which had declared, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the PDP candidate, as the authentic Senator of Kogi Central with lawful votes of 54,354. Ohere of APC scored 51,291 votes.
She was administered the oath by the Clerk of the Senate at exactly 11:41 a.m.
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