Buhari Writes Senate, Seeks Fresh $800m Loan

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday asked the Senate to approve a new borrowing request of $800 million.

Buhari made the request in a letter read by Senate President Ahmad Lawan at Tuesday’s plenary.

The president, in the letter, explained that the loan would be used to scale up the National Social Safety Net Programme.

He said the new borrowing would be sourced from the World Bank.

Osinbajo presides over FEC meeting

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is currently presiding over this week’s Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Wednesday’s meeting, which began a few minutes past 10:00 am, is the Council’s antepenultimate before the inauguration of a new president on May 29, 2023.

Ministers of Special Duties, George Akume, and Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, said the opening Christian and Muslim prayers, respectively.

Present at the FEC meeting is the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; the Head of Civil Service, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, and the President’s Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.

Supreme Court ruling on Osun election affirms power resides with Nigerians – Gov. Diri

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has said the recent ruling of the apex court on the Osun State governorship election was an affirmation that power resides with the people in a democracy.

Governor Diri, on Tuesday while congratulating Senator Ademola Adeleke, in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, expressed joy that the Supreme Court sealed the mandate freely given to the governor by the Osun people.

The governor also reveal that the verdict reflected the current mood of the country where those whose stock-in-trade is to promote electoral violence and subvert the will of the people have no place in our electoral system.

He expressed hope that the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, will instil more confidence in the electoral process while urging the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to deepen Nigeria’s democracy by also introducing electronic voting and transmission of polling results.

Tinubu meets APC consensus candidates for Reps leadership

The President-elect, Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, met with the House of Representatives candidates for Speaker and Deputy Speaker endorsed by the All Progressives Congress.

Tinubu, a former Lagos State governor, met with both Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and Hon. Benjamin Kalu, endorsed by the ruling party for the House leadership shortly before he left the country for Europe.

In a statement by Tinubu’s media aide, Tunde Rahman, Abbas and Kalu were presented to the President-elect by the Joint Task Team of the House.

Tinubu, who left the country on a working visit to Europe shortly after the meeting, is expected to “finetune the transition plans and programmes” during the trip.

“During the visit, the President-elect will engage with investors and other key allies with the goal of marketing investment opportunities in the country and his administration’s readiness to enable a business-friendly climate through policies and regulations.”

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