The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara on Tuesday officially announced his defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Speaker made the announcement during plenary on Tuesday.
Recall there was rigorous exchange of words between the APC and PDP on the purported defection of the speaker in September 2018. The speaker on different occasions beat down accusations of his defection to the PDP while insisting that he was still consulting widely if he should defect or not.
It was generally believed that the speaker will defect with the Senate President to the PDP in July 2018 considering their closeness.
However, despite the denials, Dogara had from late last year pitched his tent more with the PDP. He was physically involved in the party’s activities and is seeking reelection back to the House on its platform.
2019 Appropriation Bill pass second reading
Meanwhile members of the House of Representatives have passed the 2019 appropriation bill for a second reading.
The bill was passed on Tuesday during plenary presided by the speaker, Yakubu Dogara.
The speaker, while putting the bill to vote, referred it to the committees on appropriations and all other relevant standing and subcommittees.
Recall that the house had last week commenced debate on the appropriation bill which was presented by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Buhari had in December 2018, proposed a budget of N8.83 trillion for 2019.
The president presented the budget at a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday.
The proposed budget shows that about a quarter of the sum (N2.14 trillion) will be used for debt servicing while capital expenditure is expected to gulp N2.031 trillion.
Further breakdown presented by the president shows that proposed recurrent expenditure is N4.04 trillion while statutory transfer is N492.36 billion.
There is a sinking fund of N120 billion, while capital expenditure is N2.031 trillion
Reps approve N30,000 minimum wage
Members of the House of Representatives also on Tuesday approved the N30,000 minimum wage agitated for by the organised labour.
The Speaker, Yakubu Dogara had during a public hearing held in Abuja on Monday opined that the Federal Government should be living wage and minimum wage as obtainable to Nigerian workers.
He insisted that the N30,000 being agitated for by the workers was not even enough going by the prevailing circumstances economically.
The house later adjourned plenary till February 19.
