BREAKING: Nigerian Senate Passes N2.17trn 2023 Supplementary Budget Amid Controversies

• The national assembly, on Thursday, November 2, approved the N2.176 trillion 2023 supplementary budget
• The budget had been transmitted to the parliament by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday, October 31
• At the Senate, the budget was approved following the adoption of a report by the Appropriations Committee, presented by the chairman, Senator Adeola Olamilekan (Ogun West) during plenary

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 6-year-experience covering politics in Nigeria

FCT, Abuja - The Senate, on Thursday, November 2, passed the N2.17 trillion 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Bill.

The budget was passed after a third reading, according to Channels Television.

Senate approves 2023 supplementary budget

Before the passage of the bill, the Senate adopted the report of the harmonised sittings of both red and green chambers on the 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Bill as submitted by the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola.

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As of the time of this report, plenary is ongoing in the upper legislative chamber.

Why budget is important

The budget is an essential policy document of government that prioritises its annual and multi-annual objectives.

Through budgets, governments indicate how much it is willing to spend on public purposes, set substantive policy priorities within overall spending levels, and determine the amount that must be borrowed to finance approved spending levels and enhance national development.

Tinubu didn’t ask for presidential yacht - Ajayi

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, to President Bola Tinubu, Temitope Ajayi, said the Nigerian leader did not ask for a presidential yacht.

Ajayi said the request for a yacht in the 2023 supplementary budget is from the Nigerian Navy "and they must have operational reasons for why it is required".

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Omokri alleges attempt to undermine Tinubu's govt

Legit.ng also reported that Reno Omokri, the former Special Assistant on social media to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, said whoever included the contentious N5.095 billion Presidential Yacht allocation in Nigeria's budget "is likely a fifth columnist".

Omokri alleged that an infiltrator is responsible for the controversial addition, according to him, 'to undermine the Tinubu administration'. He added that "the claim that President Tinubu is unaware of it still makes it wrong".

Source: Legit.ng