Legislature
Electoral Act: Buhari asks NASS to review clause on Direct Primary, before his assent
President Buhari has asked the National Assembly to review the direct primaries clause and send document back for his assent.
The President who has communicated to the National Assembly, asked the National Assembly to remove the controversial clause on direct primaries from the bill and return the proposed law to him for assent.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, confirmed that Buhari had sent the letter to the National Assembly.
According to our sources the President indicated in the letter to the Senate President Ahmad Lawan that the prevailing situation in the country will not allow to him sign the bill.
Amongst other reasons the President cited high cost of conducting direct primaries, the security challenge of monitoring the election, violation of citizens rights, marginalization of small political parties.
Buhari also notes that adopting direct primaries also has implications on the rights of citizens to participate in the government, as constitutionally insured.
According to the President, the conduct of direct primaries will lead to a significant spike in the cost of conducting primary elections by parties, as well as the increase in the cost of monitoring such elections by INEC.
He explained that the direct consequences of the high cost are monitozation and that it will drive and increase the financial crimes and constitute further strain on the economy.
In his view, it will also stifle smaller parties without the enormous resources required to mobilize all party members for the primaries, a situation which he says is not healthy for the sustainance of multiparty democracy in Nigeria.
The President further states that security agencies will also be overstretched, as direct primaries will be open to participation from all and sundry. Such large turnout without effective security coordination, will also engender intimidation and disruptions, thereby raising credibility issues on the outcomes of such election.
Significantly, Buhari said: “The amendment as proposed is the violation of the underlying spirit of democracy, which is characterized by freedom of choices of which political party membership is a voluntary exercise of the constitutional right of freedom of association.
President Buhari also said the proposed amendment might also give rise to a plethora of litigations based on diverse grounds and issues of law, including but not limited to the fact that the proposed amendment could not work in retrospect, given that the existing constitution of the parties already registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) permits direct, indirect and consensus primaries. Buhari said his decision is based on informed advise by relevant ministries, departments and agencies of the government, and careful review of the bill in light of the current realities prevalent in the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the circumstances.
He accused governors of the APC and their National Assembly members of deceiving Nigerians that they were engaged in a battle of supremacy over the issue of direct primaries, whereas they had secretly agreed to scuttle the possibility of transmitting election results electronically in 2023.
Wike said the National Assembly did not have what it takes to veto the President’s refusal to assent to the bill.
According to him, the lawmakers are not interested in protecting the interest of Nigerians and ensuring that elections are free and fair with the electronic transmission of results.
“Unfortunately, you don’t have a National Assembly that has what it takes, that will stand for the people, that will say look we were elected by the people and we want to give the people the best. Nobody in the National Assembly, not even the leadership, can have what it takes to say Mr President for the interest of Nigerians, we are going to veto your refusal,” he said.
The governor maintained that because the APC did not take the interest of Nigerians as a priority, its leaders were immersed in crisis while jostling for benefits that fan their personal egos.
N’Assembly won’t override Buhari on bill, says Kwankwaso
A former governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, says the President will not sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill because governors have pressured him not to approve the provision for direct primaries.
Kwankwaso said this during a chat with The PUNCH ahead of the National Assembly’s recess.
The former governor said indeed, mandatory direct primaries would provide a level playing field and ensure that popular candidates emerge.
He, however, said because such mandatory primaries could make governors less powerful, they would not support it.
The ex-lawmaker said, “In 1999, I was elected as the candidate of the PDP through direct primary but along the line, we realised that there were issues with the direct primary. It is very cumbersome; it has some weaknesses here and there, but after practising the indirect primary, I can easily compare and say the direct one is more democratic and better than the indirect.
“But one thing that I believe is that the governors and other powerful people will never want to approve the direct primary because the power will get out of the government houses and land in the hands of the voters and members of the parties. So, they will never want it. For me, I find it extremely difficult to see how the President will sign it.”
When contacted on Monday to confirm if Buhari had communicated his decision to the National Assembly, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Ajibola Basiru, said, “I am not aware.”
His counterpart in the House, Benjamin Kalu, however, said the chamber would take a decision on it today (Tuesday).
National Assembly leaders in emergency meeting, strategise response to President
One of the principal officers of the House, who also confirmed the communication to one of our correspondents Monday night, disclosed that the leadership of the National Assembly held an emergency meeting after it was received.
The lawmaker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, spoke to our correspondent at about 10:30pm.
“We are currently at holding a leadership meeting over the communication. I won’t be able to say much on the development right now,” he said.
Culled from The Punch
***Allocates N23.96 Trillion for Capital Projects, N14.31 Trillion for Debt Servicing
The Nigerian Senate along with the House of Represebtatives have passed the 2025 Appropriation Bill, approving a record-breaking budget of N54,990,165,355,396 to finance government activities in the coming fiscal year.
The budget, titled A Bill for an Act to Authorise the Issue from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation, was approved after deliberations on its allocations and implications for economic growth, debt management, and infrastructure development.
The chairman of the National Assemble Godswill Akpabio who is also the President of the Senate gave the beakdown of the 2025 Budget to show that Statutory Transfers: ₦3.65 trillion, debt Servicing: ₦14.32 trillion, Recurrent (Non-Debt) Expenditure: ₦13.06 trillion and
Capital Expenditure: ₦23.96 trillion
The largest chunk of the budget, ₦23.96 trillion, was allocated for capital expenditure, aimed at infrastructure development, healthcare, education, and security.
This signals the government’s commitment to addressing Nigeria’s infrastructural deficit.
However, the ₦14.32 trillion earmarked for debt servicing highlights the country’s rising debt burden, sparking concerns over long-term financial sustainability.
With the National Assembly approval, the budget now awaits President Bola Tinubu’s assent, after which implementation will begin. Analysts predict a challenging fiscal year, balancing economic growth with prudent spending and debt repayment.
However, time will tell whether the historic budget will deliver on its promises, or economic realities force adjustments down the line?
***Says addittional fund is to Prioritize Infrastructure, Health, Economic Growth
The chairman of the senate committee on Appropriation Senator Adeola Solomon Olamilekan has explained the approval of the 2025 Appropriation Bill by the national Assembly which it increased from N49.7 trillion to N54.99 trillion—the highest in the nation’s history.
The adjustment followed legislative reviews that uncovered additional revenues from key government agencies.
While explaining the Budget Expansion and Revenue Sources Olamilekan indicated that the additional N4.99 trillion was sourced from Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and Government-Owned Enterprises (GOEs)
These he said led to an increase in funding for critical sectors, including N1.5 trillion for Bank of Agriculture, N500 billion for Bank of Industry, 1 trillion for Ministry of Solid Minerals, N1.5 trillion for Renewable Infrastructure Fund, N300 billion – Road construction and N400 billion for Rail transport.
Others are N380 billion of Water resources, irrigation, and dam projects, N250 billion for Military barracks renovation N120 billion for New military aviation projects, N50 billion for Border security agencies
Following the suspension of U.S. health aid, which previously provided funding for HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, and polio treatments, President Tinubu approved $200 million (N300 billion) to ensure continued medical supplies and healthcare support for affected patients.
On the major Boost for Infrastructure Development he said a record N23.7 trillion has been allocated for capital projects, marking a significant leap in infrastructure investment.
He listed the areas the funds will focus on to include Roads and railways,nEducation and healthcare improvements and Other critical public infrastructure
To prevent delays in budget implementation, the 2026 budget process will begin in July 2025, with the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) submitted early and the Appropriation Bill expected by October 2025.
Concerns over inadequate rail infrastructure funding in the South East were raised, but legislative leaders clarified that rail projects are primarily funded through public-private partnerships (PPPs).
According to him, the 2025 budget focuses on light rail development in Lagos, Ogun, Kaduna, and Kano, while further discussions on South East projects are ongoing.
He explained that to maintain Economic Stability the budget parameters remain unchanged, with key revenue sources including FIRS increasing its revenue target to N25.1 trillion, Nigeria Customs Service boosting revenue collection through stricter enforcement and Independent revenue agencies contributing 100% of their generated funds to the federal government
The House of Representatives has directed its Joint Committee on Communications and Interior to investigate reports of unauthorized National Identification Number (NIN) linkages by telecom service providers across Nigeria.
The decision followed the unanimous adoption of a motion jointly sponsored by Hon. Patrick Umoh (APC, Akwa Ibom) and Hon. Julius Ihonvbere (APC, Edo). The House also instructed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to probe the allegations and sanction any telecom operator found guilty of violating privacy laws.
Additionally, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has been asked to clarify whether telecom providers were authorized to link NINs to subscriber lines and if such actions comply with existing regulations.
Hon. Umoh raised concerns about recent reports indicating that telecom companies have linked NINs to subscribers’ SIM cards without their consent. He warned that this unauthorized linkage exposes Nigerians to criminal activities, such as identity theft, financial fraud, and other cybercrimes.
“This action is a clear violation of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) 2019, which guarantee the right to privacy and the protection of personal data,” Umoh stated.
He further emphasized that while the NIN system was introduced to enhance national security and streamline identification processes, unauthorized linkages undermine public trust and jeopardize citizens’ safety.
“Aware that innocent citizens have been wrongly implicated in crimes, suffered reputational damage, harassment, and legal challenges for offenses they know nothing about, it is imperative that we address this issue immediately,” Umoh added.
The House has mandated the probe committee to submit its findings within four weeks, as lawmakers seek to protect Nigerians from potential data breaches and uphold the integrity of national security protocols.
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