Tag: 10th NASS

Constitutional Review: Nigerians demand new deal, State Police, women’s seats, Electoral Reforms top agenda

Aminu Imam
Constitutional Review Nigerians demand

Nigerians on Monday stormed the National Assembly’s public hearing on the 1999 Constitution review, with fiery demands — from state and community-policing to creation of new states, electoral reforms, and reserved seats for women and persons with disabilities. Women’s groups, traditional rulers, civil society, and security agencies all pushed for inclusion, accountability, and stronger federalism. Heated protests broke out, as women demanded guaranteed seats in parliament, while traditional rulers insisted on formal recognition of their roles. The Constitutional review involves 87 amendment bills, with some key areas generating robust debate.…

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Protest rocks NASS, as civil servants, Minister clash

Aminu Imam
Protest rocks NASS

Scores of demonstrators yesterday marched from the National Assembly to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation in Abuja, protesting against what they described as the harassment of the Minister of Women’s Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim. The protesters, comprising human rights activists, civil society organisations and concerned citizens, carried placards and banners condemning last Wednesday’s action, insisting that “no civil servant has the right to challenge a minister.” Their demonstration followed an incident on September 10, when staff of the Federal Ministry of Women’s Affairs locked…

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ADC accuses NASS of mortgaging Nigeria’s future by endorsing Tinubu’s borrowing spree

Aminu Imam
ADC accuses NASS

The African Democratic Congress, (ADC), has accused the National Assembly of mortgaging Nigeria’s future by endorsing what it described as President Bola Tinubu’s “unchecked borrowing spree”. In a statement on Tuesday, signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC criticised Speaker Tajudeen Abbas for retracting his earlier remarks on Nigeria’s debt profile. The party said Abbas’s initial admission that the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio had risen to 52% was a “rare moment of honesty” but added that his retraction showed “political cowardice and legislative complicity”. “The Speaker’s statement offered…

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NASS adopts June 12 as annual ‘Presidential Address Day’

Aminu Imam
NASS adopts June 12

The 10th National Assembly has formally adopted June 12 as the day for the President of Nigeria to address a joint session of the legislature. The decision was taken yesterday, June 12  during a special Democracy Day sitting at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, where Tinubu delivered a commemorative address to lawmakers. Presiding over the joint session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the formalisation of the date, following a Motion raised by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas. “Mr. President, in the eloquent speech by the Hon.…

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BudgIT uncovers ₦6.93tr worth of inserted projects in 2025 Budget

Aminu Imam
BudgIT uncovers

BudgIT has revealed that the 10th National Assembly inserted 11,122 projects worth ₦6.93 trillion into the 2025 federal budget, raising concerns over fiscal abuse and political manipulation.  According to the civic tech group many of the projects lack justification and divert funds from national priorities. Key flagged insertions include: 238 projects above ₦5 billion, 1,477 streetlight projects costing ₦393.29 billion, and ₦6.74 billion for traditional ruler “empowerment”. BudgIT urged President Tinubu to reform the budget process and align spending with the national development plan.

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Mandatory voting Bill violates constitutional rights, says Falana

Aminu Imam
Falana

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has criticised a proposed Bill seeking to make voting compulsory in Nigeria, describing it as a violation of citizens’ constitutional rights. The Bill, sponsored by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, proposes a 6-month jail term or a fine of ₦100,000 for eligible voters who fail to participate in elections. Abbas said the objective is to address low voter turnout, promote civic responsibility, and transform voting from a personal choice into a legal obligation. However, Falana, in a statement issued…

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NASS passes increased 2025 Budget of ₦54.9tr into law

Aminu Imam
NASS passes Budget2

The 10th National Assembly has passed the ₦54.9 trillion Budget for the 2025 financial year, increasing the initial proposal by ₦700 billion from ₦54.2 trillion. The budget breakdown includes: ₦3.6 trillion for statutory transfers; ₦14.3 trillion for debt service; ₦13.6 trillion for Recurrent (non-debt) expenditure, and ₦23.9 trillion for Capital expenditure. President Bola Tinubu had earlier written to the 10th National Assembly, requesting an increase in the initial budget proposal from ₦49.7 trillion to ₦54.2 trillion. He said the review was due to additional revenue generated by key government agencies.…

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2025 Budget: NASS members allegedly  demand ₦480m from universities before approval 

Aminu Imam
NASS members on universities

An investigation has uncovered a bribery scheme involving Nigerian lawmakers allegedly demanding N8 million each from 60 federal universities to approve their 2025 Budget allocations.  According to the published investigative report, the extortion, coordinated by the Senate and House committees on tertiary education, involves threats of probes against non-compliant vice-chancellors. It said several University Heads have expressed frustration over the lawmakers’ aggressive tactics and escalating demands. This comes amidst chronic underfunding of Nigerian universities, with institutions struggling to maintain operations due to insufficient government support. The report revealed that lawmakers…

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NASS threatens to stop JAMB’s allocation, questions spending

Aminu Imam
NASS threatens JAMB

The 10th National Assembly Joint Committee on Finance yesterday threatened to stop the Federal Government’s grant to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, (JAMB), in the 2025 Budget proposal. The position of the committee was informed by the presentation made by JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is’haq Oloyede, who appeared before the Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives to defend the agency’s 2025 Budget proposal. Giving a breakdown of the performance of the JAMB’s 2024 budget, Oloyede said the agency remitted ₦4bn to the Consolidated Revenue Fund, while it…

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Revenue Shortfall: NASS sets up panel to probe ₦4tr indiscriminate waivers for MDAs

Aminu Imam
NASS sets up panel

The National Assembly Joint Committee on Finance has constituted a special committee to probe a shortfall of over ₦4 trillion revenue due to indiscriminate waivers by agencies of Government. The decision to set up a panel to probe the shortfall followed a motion moved by Senator Adamu Aliero during the hearing to probe the revenue profiles of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, (MDAs), and Government-Owned Enterprises, (GOEs), ahead of the 2025 Budget. The hearing was to enable the 10th Senate and House of Representatives committees to develop accurate and realistic revenue…

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