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2021 Budget: Senators Divided Across Party Lines
As the Senate begins consideration of the general principles of the Budget proposal for 2021 fiscal year, yesterday, members of the Upper Chamber have expressed divergent opinions on workability of the N13.08 trillion proposal.
While the Senate Majority Leader; Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, painted a picture of a budget of hope, some of the lawmakers from the other divide saw it from a different angle.
Leading the debate, the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, noted that the Senate leadership was fully aware of the proposed parameters in the budget proposal.
He, therefore, urged his colleagues to critically look at the proposals and ensure that all rough edges were fine-tuned.
His words: “It is important to note at the outset, that this proposal is not strange to the leadership of the National Assembly and the Committees of Finance and National Planning. All the parameters were discussed and agreed upon, at least in principle.
“What remains for us is to closely examine the contents and the details in order to sort things out and smoothen the rough edges.
“A budget deficit of N5.19 trillion represents 3.64% of GDP, and is therefore, above the threshold set by the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007.
“Even though the deficit is covered by N4.28trillion of new borrowing and funds obtainable from privatization proceeds and multilateral and bilateral sources, it is important for our committees on Finance to raise the matter for the National Assembly to permit this increase, as specified in the extant law, particularly given the special circumstances which made this necessary.
“It is also important to note that a budget deficit of this size requiring more indebtedness is not healthy for the long-term development of the country, but this must be tolerated now because of the challenges of the times”, he said.
While most of the PDP senators, who contributed to the debate, picked holes in the budgetary proposals, their APC counterparts said as bad as the situations on ground are, the budgetary proposals can still bring about required recoveries in various sectors of the nation’s economy as anticipated by President Muhamnadu Buhari, who christened the budget as one of “Recovery and Resilience”.
Other APC Senators like Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Orji Uzor Kalu, Uba Sani, Adamu Aliero, and Ibikunle Amosun, spoke in same direction, and expressed hope in the workability of the budgetary proposals.
However, the Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, in his contribution, dissected the budget proposals, and described it as mere old news.
According to him, “The 2021 Appropriation Bill proposes to spend N13.082trillion, with expected revenue of N7.886trillion and a deficit of N5.196trillion. As with the other budgets over the last few years, it looks impractical and unimplementable.
“The major challenge, as with previous budgets, is with revenue and an overly optimistic revenue target. The 2021 budget hopes that the federal government will be able to generate almost N8trillion. If history is anything to go by, this projection looks impossible.
“This overly optimistic position is not new in Nigeria but is part of a continuing pattern of false
optimism that has put the federal government’s accounts in the deep red and the country in dire straits.
“To demonstrate this point, the observers need to look at the performance of previous approved budget revenues and what were achieved as actual revenue.
“In 2016, Nigeria had an approved budget with revenue of N3.855trillion. By the end of the year, the total retained revenue was only N2.621trillion.
“This performance was a 32 percent shortfall, according to the budget implementation reports. In 2017, instead of trying to readjust to the reality of a difficult revenue situation, Government of Nigeria repeated the same overly optimistic exercise. The approved budget had revenue of N5trillion while actual revenue that year was only N2.37trillion.
“This performance was a whopping 53 percent shortfall. In 2018, Federal Government of Nigeria
repeated the same thing by submitted a budget that expected revenue to jump from N2.37trillion to N7.165trillion. By the end of the year, actual revenue was only N3.48trillion; a 51 percent shortfall. The story was the same in 2019 and 2020. In 2019 the revenue shortfall was 41 percent and so far in 2020 the shortfall is 38 percent.
“Here we are in 2021 and the submitted budget expects revenue to be N7.886trillion. Based on the half year numbers, Nigeria would be lucky to realise N3.3trillion in revenue in 2020 by the end of the year. Yet, the Executive expects revenue to increase by over 200 percent in 2021.
“When the Executive announces a N13trillion budget, the ministries and agencies take it as a signal that the largess can continue. A casual look at the Appropriation Bill contains items like SUVs for chief executives and fancy office buildings for agencies whch really do not need them.
“All of these things will count as “capital expenditure” without adding much to the productive ability of the economy. At a time when the Executive is on the verge of a serious fiscal crisis some of these proposed spending items are unnecessary.
“The budget betrays a lack of understanding of how modern economies functions.
Other PDP Senators; including Ike Ekweremadu, Gabriel Suswam, Oker Jev, among others, made their presentations against workability of the budget.
Debate on the general principles of the 2021 budget continues today, and tomorrow.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has inaugurated a special legal team to handle election petitions arising from last Saturday’s Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory.
This comes as the All Progressives Congress (APC) won in Abaji, Kwali, AMAC, and Bwari Area Councils, while the PDP secured victory only in Gwagwalada.
The Tide reports that the council elections were held on Saturday, February 21, 2026, across all six FCT area councils, including Abaji, AMAC, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali.
Results announced so far by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) show that the All Progressives Congress (APC) won in Abaji, Kwali, AMAC, and Bwari Area Councils, while the PDP secured victory only in Gwagwalada.
In a statement issued yesterday by PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the party congratulated its candidates, who emerged winners in the chairmanship and councilor elections.
The opposition party acknowledged the victories, noting that the number of wins was lower than expected but significant given the alleged irregularities during the polls.
“We specifically congratulate the Chairman-elect of Gwagwalada Area Council, Mohammed Kasim, and the councillors who have been declared successful by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“This victory, though less in number than we anticipated, is particularly gladdening because it is against the background of unprecedented intimidation, high-powered money politics, and brazen executive brigandage,” the statement read.
Ememobong claimed that there are reports and video evidence indicating voter intimidation and unlawful conduct that influenced the outcome of the elections.
“Reports and video evidence abound where armed security personnel were used to cart away result sheets in polling units, intimidate voters, and unduly influence the outcome of the elections.”
To address complaints and litigations arising from the polls, he said the party has set up a legal team headed by its National Legal Adviser, Shafi Bara’u, Esq.
The statement urged candidates with legitimate grievances to contact the Legal Adviser promptly, as delays could jeopardise their chances in election petition cases.
“The incredible voter apathy in these polls is a direct response to the anti-people Electoral Act 2026, where the people have completely lost faith in the electoral outcomes from elections conducted under this Act.
“These Local Council polls may just be a foreshadowing of the forthcoming general elections in 2027 if changes are not urgently made,” the statement added.
The PDP called on the National Assembly and the President to take corrective action to safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, will on Wednesday swear in Justice Joseph Oyewole as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
The ceremony is scheduled to be held at 2pm at Courtroom Two of the Supreme Court complex in Abuja.
The court urged guests to adhere strictly to the court’s protocols and security measures.
This was contained in a statement issued yesterday by the Supreme Court’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Dr Festus Akande.
The court described Oyewole’s appointment as a step towards reinforcing the capacity of the apex court to deliver fair and timely judgments.
Recall that Oyewole was, until his elevation, a Justice of the Court of Appeal and Presiding Justice of the Enugu Division, and joins the apex court bench as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the judiciary.
The National Judicial Council recommended Oyewole for the position alongside 35 others for various judicial offices, following its 110th meeting held on January 13, 2026, and presided over by Justice Kekere-Ekun.
The statement partly read, “The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, GCON, will on Wednesday, 25th February, 2026, preside over the swearing-in ceremony of the newly appointed Justice of the Supreme Court, Hon. Justice Joseph Olubunmi Kayode Oyewole, JCA.”
According to the statement, Oyewole served with distinction at the Court of Appeal and as Presiding Justice of the Enugu Division prior to his elevation.
“His appointment underscores the commitment of the Nigerian judiciary to upholding the rule of law, ensuring justice, and strengthening the bench with experienced and dedicated jurists. He brings a wealth of legal expertise and integrity to the apex court to further enhance its capacity to deliver fair and timely judgments,” the statement added.
The apex court further described the swearing-in as “another significant step in rejuvenating the judiciary and ensuring the continued delivery of justice in line with the highest standards of integrity, competence, and impartiality.”
The Supreme Court reiterated its commitment to justice, fairness and judicial independence for the benefit of Nigerians.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has expressed deep shock and sadness over the sudden passage of Senator Barinada Mpigi, the Senator representing South East Senatorial District of Rivers State.
In a tribute to mourn the deceased, Governor Fubara described Mpigi as a brother, a consummate politician and one of the leading lights in Rivers State.
He said that Mpigi died at a critical time when his services were still needed by the people of Rivers State and prayed God Almighty to grant him eternal rest.
The governor commiserated with his immediate family, the Rivers South East Senatorial District and the Senate at large, asking them to take solace in the fact that the deceased lived a good life and impacted positively on the people.
Senator Mpigi died at the age of 64. Until his death, he was the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works.
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