CJN’s confirmation, 2023 budget top Senate agenda – Lawan

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, said on Friday the confirmation of the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria and consideration of the 2023 budget proposals would top the lawmakers’ agenda when they return from their annual vacation next week.

The Senators are expected to resume from their two months’ vacation on September 20.

Lawan, who spoke with journalists after inspecting the renovation work at the Senate temporary chamber in Abuja, said: “This is going to be our temporary chamber for sometime, some months and I’m aware that it will be here that we will conduct the business of the Senate up till next year by the Grace of God. That is not an issue.

“The way this place is renovated to accommodate Distinguished Senators is what matters to us. The chairs here and everything here will be temporary. Ours is to remain focused on what our jobs and tasks are.

“I am happy so far that the renovation here, providing this environment, is going on smoothly, there are a few issues that I feel should be attended to but these are not major issues.

“This is also going to be a resumption period for us where the last session of the (ninth) Senate will be and that is, this will be our last and final year.

“We have the confirmation of the Chief Justice of Nigeria already waiting. Recall that the President sent the request but that was a day before the Senate went on its annual summer recess.

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“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 required three months.

“You also know that we are going to receive Mr. President for the presentation of the 2023 budget estimates and we expect that the President will be doing that in the first week of October even though it may not take place here.

“Imagine that the House of Representatives chamber will be the appropriate place like we have always done. But that is going to be one of the issues that we are going to tackle immediately.

“And of course, our focus has always been that we provide the kind of legislative intervention that will make Nigerians safer and of course, provide a better economic environment.

“The security of our country, the security of our people has always been of great concern to us and will remain so and at this point let me commend our Armed Forces and other security agencies for upping the game and doing better in the last one month or so.

“We hope that they will do better than that but I want to assure Nigerians that the National Assembly, particularly the Senate will continue to support our security agencies and defence forces to fight for the restoration of normalcy in our security situation in the country.”

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