The Senate will hold an emergency sitting Thursday to, amongst other issues, consider the purchase of new jets for the use of the president, as well as supplementary budget.
Inside sources close to the National Assembly revealed that the emergency sitting will address “several national issues, including appropriation matters”.
The source said “ There are strong indications that the Upper Chamber may consider the 2024 supplementary appropriation during this session”.
Recall that the federal government has for sometimes mulled the idea of a supplementary budget to address the issues of Minimum Wage, as the government plans to replace the 2019 Minimum Wage Act, which expired in April, 2024.
Following the development, the Senate, which has been on a three-week recess since June 11, was initially scheduled to resume on Tuesday, July 2, 2024.
Cost of the yet to be acquired presidential jet will be included in the budget, according to sources.
Lawmakers, both in the House of representatives and the Senate, commenced their recess last week and were to resume on July 2, 2024.
But the Chairman Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu (APC, Ekiti South) however, said on Wednesday that the Senate would hold plenary on Thursday to deal with a variety of issues including appropriation.
The Senate Spokesman said, “It’s our statutory resumption from the Sallah break. Senate has the constitutional power to regulate its sessions and we believe that we could gain one more legislative day to deal with national and constitutional issues, hence the bringing forward from the initial July 2.
“We hope to deal with issues concerning our further oversight on the appropriations and clear further the hanging issues of constitutional and electoral concerns. And clear outstanding bills and motions, expectedly before our annual recess, later in the year.”
On Tuesday, Senate President Godswill Akpabio refuted reports that the Senate had approved the purchase of new presidential jets.
He described as malicious a report quoting him to have said the National Assembly would approve the purchase of new aircraft for the President and Vice President, irrespective of the harsh economic situation in the country.
The House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence had recommended purchase of new aircraft for the President and the Vice-President as the existing presidential jets are faulty and unsafe for use.
NewMailNG had reported that the presidency put up three presidential jets for sale.
