Breaking: Buhari to sign the 2022 Appropriation Bill to law Friday

President Muhammadu Buhari will sign the 2022 Appropriation Bill on Friday, the Presidency has confirmed.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, confirmed this to newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to him, the 2022 budget has been transmitted by the National Assembly and the President will sign the bill into law by 10:am.

This comes barely a week after lawmakers in the House of Representatives and Senate chambers of the National Assembly passed a budget of N17.126 trillion, increasing the benchmark price of crude from $57 to $62 per barrel.

NewsWireNGR recalls that the National Assembly had transmitted the 2022 Appropriation Bill to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.

The House of Representatives and the Senate passed the Federal Government’s budget on Tuesday and Wednesday last week, respectively, raising the total estimates from the proposed N16.391tn to N17.126tn.

The oil benchmark was raised from the proposed $57 per barrel to $62.

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, had said the budget would be transmitted to Buhari by Thursday.

A communication from the Clerk to the National Assembly, Ojo Amos, to the Presidency, a copy of which our correspondent sighted on Tuesday, showed that the budget was transmitted on Friday and received by the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President on Saturday.

The letter of transmission, with Reference Number NASS/CNA/37/Vol.1/35, was addressed to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and titled ‘APPROPRIATION BILL, 2022.’

“After Your Excellency’s assent, one copy of the signed bill should be retained in your office while the other two are to be returned for our further action, please.

“With my highest regards.”

The National Assembly had from the 2020 budget returned the country to a January-December budget cycle.

Buhari had signed 2021 Appropriation Bill into law on January 1, 2021, while it’s life cycle was expected to expire on December 31, 2021 (Friday) but for the recent extension of the lifespan of its capital component three months by the National Assembly.

It read, “In consonance with the Provisions of the Acts Authentication Act Cap. A2, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, I wish, with due respect, to forward to Your Excellency, the authenticated copies of Appropriation Bill, 2022, for your consideration and assent.