Politics
Senate In Stormy Session Over Buhari’s N23.7trn ‘Ways And Means’
The Senate was in disarray for several hours, on Wednesday, over how to restructure the payment of N23.7 trillion “Ways and Means” secured from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, in the last 10 years.
President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, forced the lawmakers to go into a closed-door session to stop the chaos from degenerating into a brawl.
“Ways and Means” are loans or advances by the CBN to the Federal Government to enable it to cater for short-term or emergency finance to fund delayed government expected cash receipt of fiscal deficits.
Trouble started when Chairman of Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Olamilekan Adeola (APC, Lagos West), came up with a report on Ways and Means 2022 as requested by President Muhammadu Buhari, last week.
Soon after Adeola’s presentation, Senator Apiafi (PDP, Rivers West), raised a point of order, with very strong argument that President Buhari’s request was unconstitutional and what the Senate was about to do by considering the request was unknown to Nigerian law.
Tension engulfed the Senate when the Senate President, Lawan, ruled her out of order on the grounds that the report should be presented and read by the committee chairman for lawmakers to contribute to the debate.
President Buhari had last week written to the Senate, requesting the approval of restructuring of N23.7 trillion Ways and Means advances given to the Federal Government by the CBN.
The President in a letter read by Senate President during the Plenary session last Wednesday, explained that the ways and means balances as of December 19, 2022, were N23.7 trillion.
President Buhari further stated in the letter that he had approved the securitisation of the Ways and Means balances along the following terms: Amount N23 .7 trillion; Tenure 40 years; Moratorium on principal repayment, three years; and Pricing interest rate nine percent.
The Senate had in line with parliamentary procedure, given the request expeditious consideration by passing it for second reading and mandating its committee on Finance to work on it.
Lawan’s ruling annoyed Senator Apiafi and some senators, thereby leading to a charged atmosphere in the chamber.
At this point, Senator George Sekibo (PDP, Rivers East) raised a point of order, calling on Lawan to step down consideration of the report until lawmakers get more details on what the funds were used for.
In a strong move to stop approval of the report without scrutiny, Senator Sekibo rose through constitutional orders by citing Sections 80, 83, Section113(1) of the 1999 Constitution and Section 38 of the CBN Act to kick against the request.
Sekibo said: “We came into this chamber today and were given the report on N23.7trillion, which has been spent in the past 10 years. Whether it is 10 years or five years, whatever it is, the issue is that such payment, when the loans are taken, the Senate should be informed, we should be abreast with the information that such money is going to be taken because it is being taken on behalf of the people of Nigeria and we are entrusted with the power to make laws.
“According to the constitution, we can appropriate. They brought this up without details for us to approve.
“Section 80 of the 1999 constitution as amended provides that all revenues or other monies raised or received by the federation, not being revenue and other monies payable under this constitution or any Act of the National Assembly into any other public fund of the federation established for a particular purpose, shall be paid into and form one consolidated revenue fund of the Federation.
“No money shall be withdrawn from the consolidated revenue fund of the Federation except to meet expenditure that is charged upon the fund or where the issue of those monies has been authorised by an appropriation act, supplementary act or an act passed in pursuance of Section 81 of the constitution”.
“No money shall be withdrawn from any account other than the consolidated revenue fund of the Federation unless the issue of those monies has been authorised by the Act of the National Assembly.
“Section 80 (4) no money shall be withdrawn from the consolidated revenue fund or any other fund of the Federation except by the approval of the National Assembly, except in the manner prescribed by the National Assembly
“Section 83 the National Assembly may make provision for the establishment of Federation fund for.the Federation and for authorising the President if satisfying that there had arisen an urgent unforeseen expenditure to make advances to meet the needs.
“Section 38 of the CBN Act states ‘any money collected by the federal government as loan or emergency fund in form of Ways and Means Advances must be refunded before collection of another one.’
“Mr President, the relevant laws quoted clearly show that the N22.7triillion Ways and Means Advances already spent by Federal Government without informing the National Assembly was wrong and it will be unfair as representatives of Nigerians to approve this request.”
The Senate, thereafter, went into a closed-door session for one and half hours and the request was stepped down at the end of the day for lack of details.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for political parties to submit the list of candidates for the 2027 governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections from Saturday, August 8, to Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
The commission announced the extension in a statement issued on Saturday and signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna.
According to INEC, the decision followed appeals by political parties for additional time to complete the submission process through the dedicated online portal.
“The submission window, which according to the revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the General Election was originally scheduled to close on Saturday, 8th August, 2026, has been extended to Tuesday, 11th August, 2026,” the commission said.
In a a related development, INEC announced the suspension of PVC collection in Osun State ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
The commission said voters who applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced Permanent Voter Cards would have until midnight on Sunday, August 9, to print downloadable copies of their cards.
The electoral body explained that the deadline was necessary to enable it compile data on downloaded PVCs and produce final statistics on the total number of cards collected ahead of the election.
INEC said PVC collection in Osun commenced at the Registration Area level from July 22 to 28, 2026, but was extended to July 31 following complaints about large crowds and difficulties experienced by voters at collection centres.
The exercise subsequently moved to the local government level and ran from August 1 to 7.
The commission also disclosed that replacement downloadable PVCs had been made available to voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas following the theft of cards during attacks on the two collection centres.
It stressed that the stolen cards could not be used to vote.
INEC reassured Osun residents of its preparedness for the August 15 governorship election.
“The commission reiterates that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote.
“INEC reassures the people of Osun State of its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election on 15th August, 2026,” the statement said.
The commission said the deadline, initially set for Saturday, 8 August, has been extended to Tuesday, 11 August 2026, following appeals from political parties for more time.
INEC also announced that the window for voters who applied to replace lost, damaged or defaced PVCs to download their replacement cards will close at midnight on Sunday, 9 August.
The move is to enable the commission compile final PVC collection figures ahead of the 15 August Osun governorship election.
INEC said replacement downloadable PVCs have also been provided to affected voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas after hoodlums carted away cards from two collection centres, stressing that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote.
The commission reaffirmed its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive election in Osun State.
Gov. Kefas made the remarks over the weekend at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jalingo, during the flag-off of the second phase of the Renewed Hope Medical Outreach in Taraba State, organised as part of activities marking Prof. Yilwatda’s 58th birthday.
The governor commended Prof. Yilwatda for choosing to mark his birthday by providing medical care to people in need.
“What Professor Nentawe did is a powerful demonstration of what leadership should be,” Gov. Kefas said.
He assured that his administration would continue to support initiatives that complement government efforts to improve healthcare delivery and the wellbeing of residents.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Yilwatda called on Nigerian leaders to embrace the culture of giving and use their positions to touch the lives of the less privileged.
He said his decision to celebrate his 58th birthday in Taraba State was deliberate and informed by the needs of underserved communities, particularly people who face difficulties accessing healthcare because of distance and financial constraints.
According to him, the intervention followed a needs assessment and was extended across the three senatorial districts of the state.
He said the exercise commenced on August 3 at Takum General Hospital and covered the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Wukari; First Referral Hospital, Sunkani, Ardo-Kola Local Government Area; General Hospital, Bali; General Hospital, Gembu; and FMC Jalingo.
Prof. Yilwatda said the intervention provided medical services to thousands of beneficiaries, including people who required surgical procedures.
He said sustainable national development could only be achieved when strong institutions placed Nigerians at the centre of development.
“Leadership is about service,” he said, urging political and public leaders to make giving back to society an important part of their responsibilities.
He reaffirmed his commitment to serving Nigeria and its people, saying his personal vision was to make every day of his life useful to humanity.
“Every day that I live, the vision is: let it be useful to humanity,” he said.
The Taraba State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Bordiya Buma, commended the initiative, saying it was consistent with the Renewed Hope agenda and efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery in the state.
Dr Buma said the second phase followed the successful completion of the first phase, which was conducted simultaneously in six local government areas, with two LGAs selected from each of the three senatorial districts.
According to him, more than 10,000 patients were attended to during the first phase, including people with medical and surgical conditions.
He disclosed that 327 general surgeries, 71 eye surgeries and 575 dental procedures were carried out during the exercise.
The commissioner expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for the Renewed Hope Medical Outreach and thanked Prof. Yilwatda for supporting the initiative and choosing Taraba State as a beneficiary.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, also commended Prof. Yilwatda for choosing Taraba State to mark his 58th birthday through a medical outreach.
Prof. Pate said making healthcare the centrepiece of the birthday celebration was significant because health affects everyone.
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