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Senate demands performance report on 2024 ,…Expectations for 2025…May Delay Presentation of 2026 budget

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By Hassan Taiye

Strong indication emerged Thursday in the Senate that presentation of budgetary proposals for 2026 fiscal year by President Bola Tinubu to the National Assembly will not happen soon.

This is as the Senate through its committee on Finance , directed the managers of the Nation’s economy to in two weeks time , furnish it with documented performance report on the 2024 budget implementation and expectations for the implementation of capital component of 2025 budget .

The Chairman of the Committee , Senator Mohammed Sani Musa ( Niger East), gave the directive after about one and half hours closed door meeting the, committee had with the Minister of Finance , Wale Edun , Accountant General of the Federation , Samsudeen Ogunjimi and Director – General of the Budget Office , Tanimu Yakubu .

According to him , the committee resolved that presentation of Medium Term Expenditure Framework ( MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper ( FSP ) for 2026 to 2029 fiscal years , can only follow after submission of the requested reports to it by the economy managers on the 23rd of this month .

He said : ” We have had the position at which the 2024 budget is, and what the position also of the 2025 budget. And the expectations we are having for the ministry to, as a matter of urgency, bring the MTEF for 2026 to 2029. And the minister has briefed us, and we have collectively agreed that we are making progress, but we need to make more progress.

“We have heard from the Accountant General, we have heard from the Director of Budgets, where we are with the budgets. The payments that have so far been released, the warrants that have so far been signed. And also, regarding the 2025 authority to incur the expenditure for agencies to be able to release their capital projects.

“We have all heard that, and we have agreed that we are making progress. And we expect that, with what Mr. President has done just this week, sending a letter to the National Assembly, requesting for more approvals to loans, to be able to see that the 2025 budget is also taking adequate care of.

“We have all agreed that we will want documented evidence of the performance of 2024, and our expectations for the 2025 budget, before we start talking about the MTEF for 2026.

“And the Honourable Minister of Finance has agreed to oblige us to give us that progress report. And we have agreed to reconvene, because this meeting is just adjourned. We are going to reconvene on the 23rd of October”

Earlier before the Committee went into closed door session with the economy managers , while the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the economy, Wale Edun said high performance is being recorded in the implementation of the capital component of 2024 budget and good performance for 2025 , the DG budget office said otherwise .

According to the DG budget office , during the two fiscal years ( 2024 &2025), budgetary implementation were somewhat turbulent as some of the underlying assumptions were not met .

He said : “We have indeed had a turbulent year — one in which most of the assumptions underpinning the 2024 and 2025 budgets turned out differently from projections.

“Oil revenue, assumed at $75 per barrel, fell short by between $10 and $15 due to global price fluctuations. Inflation also rose beyond projections, affecting borrowing costs and debt service performance, which significantly exceeded targets.

“Furthermore, the unforeseen fiscal implications of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2022 have compounded our challenges.

” Under the Act, 30% of gross oil revenue and 30% of oil and gas profits are retained for upstream operations, while the Federal Government also bears the NNPC’s operating costs. This has reduced the Federation Account allocation by nearly 70% of what used to accrue.

“In addition, crude oil output has been lower than projected in the MTEF approved by the National Assembly”.

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KAWU HAILS TINUBU’S LANDSLIDE APC PRIMARY VICTORY, DESCRIBES IT AS “A TRIUMPH OF DEMOCRACY ”

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Rt. Hon. Comrade Hafiz Kawu, OON, mni, Executive Commissioner (Technical) of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), has congratulated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his overwhelming victory at the 2026 All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Primary Election, describing the outcome as a clear endorsement of the President’s leadership and reform-driven administration.
Kawu, a former member of the House of Representatives who represented Tarauni Federal Constituency of Kano State, said the President’s victory was not only historic but also a reflection of the growing confidence Nigerians have in the Renewed Hope agenda.
President Tinubu secured a massive victory in the nationwide direct primary election conducted across the country’s 8,809 wards, polling over 10 million votes to defeat his challenger, Mr. Stanley Osifo.
Reacting to the result, Kawu said the election demonstrated the strength of Nigeria’s democratic process and the willingness of Nigerians to stand behind a leader they believe is committed to national progress.
According to him, the President’s decision to participate in an open and transparent direct primary election despite being the incumbent leader showed rare courage, humility, and democratic conviction.
He noted that President Tinubu could easily have relied on the influence of incumbency but instead chose to subject himself to the will of party members and ordinary Nigerians through a grassroots voting process.
Kawu praised the President for championing reforms that strengthened internal party democracy, saying the direct primary system gave millions of Nigerians a sense of participation and ownership in the political process.
The PenCom Commissioner further commended the Tinubu administration for implementing policies and reforms aimed at repositioning the country’s economy, improving infrastructure, strengthening institutions, and enhancing workers’ welfare through measures such as the new national minimum wage.
He stated that many Nigerians were beginning to see the practical impact of the administration’s policies, adding that the outcome of the primary election reflected public appreciation for the President’s efforts.
Kawu also described Tinubu as a leader with a strong vision for national development and unity, stressing that the renewed mandate from party members should serve as further motivation to continue delivering democratic dividends to Nigerians.
He reaffirmed his support and loyalty to the President’s administration and prayed for divine wisdom, strength, and guidance for the President as he continues to steer the affairs of the nation.
Kawu concluded by expressing optimism that Nigeria would continue to witness growth, stability, and progress under President Tinubu’s leadership.

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Dogara Commends Tinubu’s Resounding APC Primary Victory

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Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, CFR, has described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s landslide victory in the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary as a defining moment in Nigeria’s democratic journey.

Dogara, who served as Bauchi State Coordinator and Collation Officer while also sitting on the national Presidential Primary Election Committee, said the outcome was not just a win for Tinubu but a triumph for grassroots democracy. He congratulated the President on behalf of Bauchi State and in his capacity as a member of the committee, calling the victory extraordinary, historic, and thoroughly deserved.

The final results revealed Tinubu’s overwhelming mandate: 10,999,162 votes across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, compared to just 15,503 for his sole challenger, Stanley Osifo. For Dogara, this margin was more than a statistic; it was a declaration of trust from millions of APC members nationwide. He noted that nearly eleven million Nigerians had risen as one to affirm a leader who had earned their confidence, describing the outcome as a movement rather than just a result.

Dogara commended the election committee, chaired by former SGF Pius Anyim and including respected figures such as Ken Nnamani, Victor Ndoma-Egba, and Idris Wada, for ensuring transparency, credibility, and fairness throughout the process. He said the committee had been given a sacred mandate to guarantee integrity and was proud that it discharged that responsibility faithfully.

He also highlighted Tinubu’s decision to subject himself to direct primaries under the Electoral Act 2026, which abolished delegate voting and empowered millions of party members at the grassroots. Dogara stressed that Tinubu could have relied on the powers of incumbency but instead chose to stand before the people. He described this as humility and character, noting that Tinubu had signed the law, championed the reforms, and then submitted himself to the same process, proving his commitment to democratic principles.

In his closing remarks, Dogara urged Tinubu to carry the weight of the people’s confidence with integrity and purpose. He reminded the President that nearly eleven million Nigerians had entrusted him with their hopes, calling it a responsibility of historic proportions. He charged Tinubu to fulfill that mandate faithfully, declaring that history is watching and that Nigerians are proud.

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APC Reps Primary: Akpanke Wins Bekwarra/Obudu/Obanliku Ticket

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Over the weekend, Hon. Peter A. Akpanke emerged victorious in the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primary election for the Bekwarra/Obudu/Obanliku Federal Constituency in Cross River State after securing an overwhelming majority of votes cast across the three local government areas.

The primary election, monitored by party officials and stakeholders, recorded a total of 18,921 registered APC members and delegates across Bekwarra, Obudu and Obanliku Local Government Areas.

Official results collation which was made available to journalists showed that 16,564 valid votes were cast during the exercise, with no void votes recorded.

According to the results, Hon. Akpanke polled a total of 14,252 votes to defeat five other aspirants, with
Hon. Theresa Akwaji Ushie scoring 101 votes;
Hon. Martin Orim with 1,572 votes;
Anthonia A. Ally with 104 votes;
Dr. Vincent A. Ushie with 270 votes and
Dr. Godwin A. Agbor with 265 votes.

A breakdown of the constituency wide results showed that Akpanke secured 4,749 votes in Obanliku Local Government Area, 4,886 votes in Obudu Local Government Area, and 4,617 votes in Bekwarra Local Government Area, consolidating respectively.

Following the conclusion of the collation process, APC electoral officials formally declared Hon. Peter A. Akpanke winner of the party’s House of Representatives primary election for the Bekwarra/Obudu/Obanliku Federal Constituency.

The primary election was described by stakeholders, observers and party officials as peaceful, orderly transparent and credible, noting that the outcome reflected the will of party delegates and members across the constituency.

The primary election was conducted under the supervision of APC electoral officials who demonstrated true professionalism, with the official collation documents signed and dated May 16, 2026.

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