In a significant move toward strengthening Nigeria’s electoral body ahead of future polls, the Senate on Wednesday confirmed five nominees submitted by President Bola Tinubu for the role of Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The confirmation came after Senator Simon Lalong, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, presented the committee’s report during plenary.
Lalong vouched for the integrity and competence of the nominees, who had earlier passed screening.
The newly confirmed RECs—Umar Yusuf Garba (Kano), Sa’ad Umar Idris (Bauchi), Chukwuemeka C. Ibeziako (Anambra), Umar Mukhtar (Borno), and Dr. Johnson Alalibo Sinikiem (Bayelsa)—will now join the commission tasked with overseeing elections across the country, a role increasingly under scrutiny as Nigeria continues its push for electoral reforms.
Earlier this week, President Tinubu had already sworn in two new INEC commissioners, signaling a steady reshuffling and reinforcement of the commission’s leadership.
But the legislative tempo didn’t stop there.
Also on the Senate floor Wednesday was the 2025 statutory budget proposal for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), a staggering ₦1.783 trillion bill transmitted by the President.
READ ALSO: PICTORIAL: Tinubu Swears in New INEC Commissioners, Others
In his message to the chamber, Tinubu emphasized the urgency of the appropriation, framing it as essential to maintaining a functional, people-centered governance system in Abuja.
The Senate invoked its procedural fast-track—Order 78—to allow the bill to scale its second reading on the same day, skipping the typical waiting period.
However, not all senators were on board with the swift passage. Opposition lawmaker Abdul Ningi raised a red flag, arguing that the move violated procedural norms outlined under Order 77.
He noted that members had not received copies of the bill before debate began—an omission he said undermined informed discussion.
Despite the objection, the Senate proceeded with deliberations on the proposed budget, which seeks to allocate ₦150.35 billion to personnel costs, ₦343.78 billion for overheads, and a massive ₦1.29 trillion toward capital projects.