The Senate has confirmed the appointment of five Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) submitted by President Bola Tinubu in March for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The confirmation followed the presentation and consideration of a report by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters during Wednesday’s plenary session.
Presenting the report on behalf of the committee, Senator Simon Lalong urged the Senate to approve the nominations, stating that the five individuals had successfully passed the screening exercise.
The approved RECs are:
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Umar Yusuf Garba (Kano State)
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Sa’ad Umar Idris (Bauchi State)
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Chukwuemeka C. Ibeziako (Anambra State)
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Umar Mukhtar (Borno State)
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Dr Johnson Alalibo Sinikiem (Bayelsa State)
President Tinubu had earlier sworn in two newly appointed INEC commissioners on Monday.
Meanwhile, the President has forwarded a proposed ₦1.783 trillion statutory appropriation bill for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to the Senate for consideration and approval for the 2025 financial year.
In his letter to the Senate, President Tinubu urged for swift consideration of the bill, stressing that its timely passage was vital to ensuring efficient and people-centred governance in the FCT.
In response, the Senate invoked Order 78 to allow the bill to proceed to second reading on the same day it was introduced.
However, this fast-tracked process was not without objection. Opposition senator Abdul Ningi raised concerns under Order 77 (3 and 4), pointing out that lawmakers had not been given copies of the bill prior to the debate.
Despite this, the Senate commenced debate on the general principles of the FCT Statutory Appropriation Bill for 2025.
Leading the discussion, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele explained that the bill seeks to authorise the release of ₦1.783 trillion from the FCT Administration’s Statutory Revenue Fund to cover personnel, overhead, and capital expenditures between 1 January and 31 December 2025.
The proposed budget includes ₦150.35 billion for personnel costs, ₦343.78 billion for overheads, and ₦1.29 trillion for capital projects.
Bamidele emphasised that the budget aims to ensure an efficient and lasting service-driven administration, with a strong emphasis on completing key infrastructure and service-related projects across Abuja.