The Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan, has expressed uncertainty over the physical presence of the President, Major General, Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), at the National Assembly complex for the presentation of the proposed N19.76trn 2023 budget.
The President is expected to present the budget a joint session of both chambers next month due to the ongoing renovation of National Assembly complex.
Lawan made this known during the inspection of Room 022 being put in shape as the temporary chamber for the Senate on resumption Tuesday next week after a six weeks annual leave which started in July.
Addressing journalists, the Senate President said that the National Assembly was expecting the President to present the 2023 budget hopefully in the first week of October, but added that ongoing renovation was creating the challenge of where to host the number one citizen.
Lawan said, “The Green Chamber of the House of Representatives normally used for such important events is also being renovated.”
He called for an urgent action from the leadership of both chambers on how to address the challenge.
He disclosed that one of the urgent legislative assignments that would be carried out by the Senate on resumption next week was the confirmation of Justice Olukayode Ariwoola as substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria.
“First on our table is the request for confirmation of the acting CJN, recall that the President has sent the request, but it came a day before the Senate went on its annual summer recess.
“Therefore, this is going to be one of the first things we need to do to ensure that the acting capacity does not go beyond the prescribed three months,” Lawan said.
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