AT LAST: Buhari Signs 2016 Appropriation Bill into Law

After weeks of controversies, President Muhammadu Buhari has finally signed the 2016 budget.


The signing of the budget was witnessed by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker, House Of Reps, Yakubu Dogara, Chairman of the APC, Chief John Oyegun, Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, Minister of Budget ,Udo Udoma and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Danjuma Goje and his counterpart in the House Of Reps, Abdulmumuni Jibrin.

President Buhari assented to the Appropriation Bill after the National Assembly submitted a clean copy to him. The president earlier withheld after discovering some “grey areas” in the Appropriation Bill.

President Buhari, senators for talks to resolve budget crisis, Senate raised a committee ahead

SENATORS yesterday resolved to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari next week to end the budget row —amicably.

The meeting is to take place either Monday or Tuesday, depending on the President’s choice.

Ahead of next week’s meeting, the Senate has raised a committee to review the disputed items in the budget and harmonise them in line with what was presented to the National Assembly by the President, who has sent a list of the grey areas and mutilated items to the National Assembly. One of such areas is the Calabar-Lagos rail project.

The senators’ decision to meet with the President was the highlight of yesterday’s Executive Session.

Most senators were disturbed by four things at the closed door meeting, a source said. These are: breakdown of communication between the Presidency and the National Assembly; loss of public sympathy by the National Assembly; the proposed Occupy National Assembly protest; and negative effects of the budget impasse on the economy and the wellbeing of Nigerians.

It was gathered that most senators at the meeting were unhappy that public opinion was weighing against the National Assembly.

A committee comprising the chairmen of the Appropriation Committee (Danjuma Goje -Senate and Abdulmumin Jibrin-House of Representatives) and the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo-Udoma and others was formed.

BREAKING NEWS: Nigerian Senate finally pass 2016 budget

The senate has passed the 2016 budget into law after weeks of delay.

Presenting a report on the budget, on Wednesday, Danjuma Goje, chairman senate committee on appropriation, said that the budget was “full of controversy”, but that the senate would not want to delay its passage by adding more controversies to it.


He said that there were lapses in the budget, but that the committee had to work around them. He said that the delay in the passage of the budget had already been given a political hue, hence Nigerians would blame the legislature for any further delay.

Kano Emir: APC intensifies lobby for Sanusi, as Tinubu, Danjuma, Saraki move to Kano

Top echelon of the All Progressives Congress, APC, are in Kano intensifying lobby for the emergence of former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Lamido Sanusi as the new Emir of Kano, sources at both Government House Kano and the Kano Emirate Council have confirmed the APC lobby movement.

Mr. Sanusi is engaged in intense battle with Sunusi Bayero, a son of late Emir Ado Bayero, who died on Friday, in a bid to be named successor to the elder Bayero.

The sources said APC national leader, Bola Tinubu, has been in Kano since yesterday (Saturday) leading the lobby for the selection of the former CBN boss. Mr. Tinubu is joined by former Governors of Kwara and Gombe states, Bukola Saraki and Danjuma Goje, as well as another party stalwart, Kashim Imam.