President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday forwarded a fresh set of appointments and legislative proposals to the Senate, including the nomination of four individuals for confirmation as members of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) Board and a proposal to establish a National Research and Development Fund.
The letters were read during plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio shortly after lawmakers resumed from their recess.
In the first communication, Tinubu cited Section 5(3) of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission Act, 2007, seeking the Senate’s confirmation of Dr Abdullahi Maikano Saidu as Chairman of the FRC Board, alongside Mohammed Asmau, Mohammed Aliyu Makama and Dr Suleiman Gidado as members.
“It is my hope that the Senate will consider and confirm the nominees in its usual expeditious manner,” the President wrote, before the chamber referred the letter to the Committee on Finance for consideration within two weeks.
Tinubu also nominated Engineer Sani Ndanusa as Non-Career Ambassador and High Commissioner to The Gambia, under Section 171(2)(c) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The Senate referred the nomination to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
In another communication, the President presented Engineer Wakili Bukar for confirmation as a member of the Federal Civil Service Commission, representing Bauchi, Borno and Yobe States, for a second and final five-year term.
The letter was referred to the Committee on Establishment.
On the legislative front, Tinubu transmitted the National Postgraduate Medical College Amendment Bill, 2026, which aims to rename the institution and expand its mandate to award PhD degrees in clinical medicine, dentistry and related fields.
“The Federal Minister of Justice has vetted and finalised the Bill in line with drafting standards and constitutional provisions,” the President noted, as the Senate referred it to the Committee on Rules and Business.
He also forwarded the National Research and Development Fund Establishment Bill, 2026, designed to consolidate fragmented research funds across ministries, departments and agencies into a single competitive funding mechanism under the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology.
The Bill, which proposes direct funding from the Nigerian Content Development Fund, seeks to “foster strategic collaboration among research agencies, academia, and the private sector” and “drive the commercialisation of homegrown technologies to reduce foreign technological dependency.”
Additionally, Tinubu submitted the Niger Delta Development Commission’s (NDDC) 2026 Statutory Budget Proposal, aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda and the 2024–2026 Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.
The budget prioritises youth empowerment, power, education, health, security and agricultural productivity in the Niger Delta.
The Senate also noted that the President has granted assent to the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria Amendment Bill, 2026, which has now become law.
Akpabio directed the relevant committees to expedite action on presidential communications referred to them.
