After more than two months of recess, the National Assembly returned to work on Tuesday, 4th February 2024 determined to pass the 2025 Nigerian Budget within the week. It would be recalled that the Budget was presented to the National Assembly by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at a Joint Session held on Thursday, 18th December 2024.
Since the National Assembly returned from the 2024 holidays in January 2025, its committees have been focused on hearing Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) defend their annual budget. The Budget Defence exercise has not been without drama with the usual accusations of budget padding, delayed defence, absences, and downright allegations of shakedown of MDAs.
The President’s late presentation of the budget to the National Assembly has also created a rush by legislators who are anxious to return the budget within the time frame that the President is set to have given to them for its passage. Originally set for passage on January 31st, the National Assembly resolved to postpone this by one week because it was yet to conclude work on the budget.
Critics question the rush in the passage of the Appropriation Bill and blame the President for submitting the budget very late and demanding quick passage of it. The concern is that legislators will not have done a good job in this rush, thus weakening the oversight and accountability factor in the consideration of the budget.