BREAKING: Again, Senate defers consideration of 2017 budget

From: FRED ITUA, Abuja

The Senate again, on Thursday, deferred the submission and passage of the 2017 Appropriation Bill (budget).

Although the submission of the report was included in the day’s Order Paper, the Senate, however, stepped it down, citing the inability of the committee on Appropriations to conclude work on the document.

Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, who made the disclosure, said members of the Senate committee on Appropriations were currently meeting with their counterparts in the House of Representatives.

The budget report is now expected to be laid next Tuesday, May 9. It is not, however,  clear if the Senate would pass the budget on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the day’s legislative business, has revealed that the 2016 budget could still run till end of June, within which the 2017 budget would be passed.

Details later…