Tinubu Seeks Reps’ Nod for ₦43.56trn Consolidated 2025 Budget as House Defers Electoral Act Amendment Consideration 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded the Appropriation (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2024 to the House of Representatives, seeking parliamentary approval for a consolidated 2025 budget designed to halt the practice of operating multiple budgets simultaneously.

The correspondence was presented during Wednesday’s plenary by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, who noted that the proposed legislation aligns with constitutional provisions governing the appropriation process and is aimed at improving fiscal discipline, transparency, and accountability in public finance administration.

In the letter, the President requested legislative authorisation to withdraw a total of ₦43.56 trillion from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025. The spending framework allocates ₦1.74 trillion to statutory transfers, ₦8.27 trillion for debt servicing, ₦11.27 trillion for recurrent non-debt expenditure, and ₦22.28 trillion for capital expenditure and development fund contributions.

President Tinubu explained that the Bill seeks to streamline budget implementation by consolidating critical and time-bound expenditures already incurred in response to emergencies related to national security and public welfare, while promoting prudent fiscal management.

He further stated that the proposed law enhances implementation discipline by ensuring that funds are released strictly for approved purposes, requiring prior approval of the National Assembly for any virement, providing a framework for corrigenda where genuine errors could impede implementation, and restricting the utilisation of excess revenue to legislative authorisation. The Bill also introduces mandatory compliance with due process and periodic reporting on fund releases and agency-generated revenues.

In a related development, the House, earlier in the sitting, adopted several provisions of the Electoral Act amendment bill under clause-by-clause consideration. The approved sections include Clauses 3, 5, 6, 10, 12, 18, 22, 23 (as amended), 29 (as amended), 31, 32, 34, 47, 50, 54, 60 (as amended), 62 (as amended), 64, 65, 71, 73 (as amended), and 74 (as amended).

However, deliberation on Clause 51 was stepped down in accordance with Order 12, Rule 9(3) of the House Standing Orders, with the presiding officer directing that it be taken at a future plenary session.

During proceedings, the presiding officer reminded lawmakers of the need to observe parliamentary ethics, cautioning against unnecessary movement, loud conversations, and other actions capable of undermining the decorum of the chamber, which he described as a solemn arena for lawmaking.

The House thereafter adjourned further consideration of outstanding sections to a later d