JUST-IN: Tinubu’s budget extension request sparks controversy during Reps session

• The lawmakers are currently in the executive session, as it seems Speaker Abbas Tajudeen has lost control of the session.
• The extension was a sequel to a request by President Tinubu via a letter to the two chambers of the National Assembly.

President Bola Tinubu’s request to extend the 2023 capital component of the Appropriation Act and Supplementary Appropriation Act has sparked debate in the House of Representatives.

The request seeks to extend the budgets until December 31 to ensure full implementation of the law.

However, opposition lawmakers are against the extension, leading to a divided House along party lines.

The opposition’s disapproval forced the lawmakers into a private meeting, known as an executive session.

The executive session was met with loud booing from opposition party members.

The president’s request has created a contentious issue in the House of Representatives.

The lawmakers are currently in the executive session, as it seems Speaker Abbas Tajudeen has lost control of the session.

President Tinubu inherited the N21.8 trillion budget from his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari.

However, the capital component of the budget suffered during the transition period, as many of the projects in the 2023 budget were not funded while the new administration settled in.

Tinubu also inherited the N819 billion 2022 Supplementary Budget from the last administration.

In July 2023, the president sent an amendment to the National Assembly to amend the N819 billion budget.

The amendment included a N70 billion package for the National Assembly and N500 billion for palliatives and other capital expenditures to cushion the effect of the recent fuel subsidy removal policy.

In October 2023,  Tinubu sent a N2.17 trillion 2023 supplementary budget to the National Assembly for approval.

According to the president, the majority of the items in the budget were for tackling insecurity.

There was also the controversial N5 billion for the presidential yacht.

Meanwhile, a large portion of the N2.17 trillion was allocated to the security sector.