Tag: 10th NASS

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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Controversy over Local Govt’s fiscal autonomy lingers

Aminu Imam
Tinubu, AGF, Governors

…As Tinubu, AGF, Governors clash over implementation The debate over the fiscal autonomy of Nigeria’s 774 local governments continues, despite last year’s Supreme Court ruling affirming their independence.  Recent remarks by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during a New Year homage by State governors and Vice-President Kashim Shettima have fueled the controversy, raising questions about the autonomy’s implementation. Recall that President Tinubu, while emphasising grassroots development, has reiterated that there was no disagreement with the State governors over autonomy. However, he urged them to ensure local governments fulfill their mandate, calling…

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NASS settles for joint probe of economic sabotage in petroleum sector

Aminu Imam
NASS for joint probe

Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has disclosed that investigation of alleged economic sabotage in the petroleum sector by Ad – hoc committees separately set up by both the 10th Senate and the House of Representatives in July, will now be jointly handled by both chambers. Senator Bamidele, who doubles as the Chairman of the investigative Adhoc committee, stated this in an issued press statement personally signed by him on Monday. He says: ‘As we return fully to the parliamentary sessions on Tuesday this week, the National Assembly will without ambiguity,…

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“N29m monthly too small for senators; Governors earn N700m” – Senator Abbo

Aminu Imam
Senator Abbo on NASS

Former Senator for Adamawa-North, Ishaku Elisha Abbo, has disclosed that he earned N14.4 million every month while in the Upper Chamber but stated that senators now earn N29 million monthly. This sum, he said, included a salary of N1 million plus allowances. Abbo, who spoke during an interview on a television programme yesterday, however said N29 million was meagre considering the responsibilities shouldered by senators, arguing that governors earn between N700 million and N1 billion monthly. Abbo insisted that while many Nigerians considered the senators’ monthly take-home princely, “N29 million…

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“Nigerian PhD holders’ll need 85yrs of savings to afford lawmakers’ SUVs” – Peter Obi

Aminu Imam
Obi on SUVs

Labour Party (LP)’s presidential candidate in the last general election, Peter Obi, has expressed deep concern over the exorbitant cost of governance in Nigeria. Obi, in a series of X’s post on Friday, who said the reckless spending in the government is responsible decline in the standards of our university education, highlighted that an average PhD holder would have to save for years to afford the N160 million SUVs driven by lawmakers. He lamented that while a Grade-2 lecturer might earn just N150,000 per month, an average lawmaker takes home…

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