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Category: House of Reps

  • Reps Urge INEC to Conduct Bye-Elections for Vacant Seats

    Reps Urge INEC to Conduct Bye-Elections for Vacant Seats

    The House of Representatives has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organize bye-elections for vacant seats in the National and State Houses of Assembly.

    This decision came after a motion was presented by Hon. Jafaru Leko, who represents the Dass, Tafawa Balewa/Bogoro federal constituency in Bauchi State. 

    Lawmakers also directed the Committee on Electoral Matters to look into the delay and invite INEC leaders to explain the situation.

    Leko pointed out that since the 2023 general elections, several seats have become vacant due to resignations, deaths, or appointments of former lawmakers to executive roles.

     He referenced constitutional provisions that require INEC to conduct bye-elections within a month of any seat becoming vacant.

    Lawmakers expressed concerns that the delay in filling these seats is leaving some constituencies without representation, affecting legislative activities. 

    They warned that such delays go against democratic principles and could weaken the electoral system.

  • Reps demand 2024 budget breakdown, audited accounts of TETFund

    Reps demand 2024 budget breakdown, audited accounts of TETFund

    The House of Representatives has directed the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to provide a detailed breakdown of its 2024 allocations.

    The House also instructed TETFund to refrain from disbursing or authorising any funds until the detailed breakdown of its proposed 2025 budget has been scrutinised and approved by the House.

    It also urged TETFund to present the 2025 budget estimates to beneficiary institutions before further implementation.

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    Furthermore, the House mandated the FIRS to submit a list of Education Tax payers and the total yearly amounts collected from 2011 to date.

    This resolution followed the adoption of a motion by Rep. Sulaiman Gumi (PDP-Zamfara) on the floor of the House in Abuja on Tuesday.

    Presenting the motion, he noted that Section 1 of the TETFund Act, 2011, authorises the assessment and collection of the Education Tax from the assessable profits of all companies registered in Nigeria.

    He further stated that the tax is to be assessed and collected by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) for remittance to TETFund.

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    He added that TETFund, among other statutory responsibilities, is tasked with administering and disbursing the tax funds to eligible public tertiary institutions for the advancement of education, knowledge, and skills.

    The lawmaker expressed concern over reported cases of discrepancies in tax collections, accruals, remittances, transfers, and issues surrounding the judicious utilisation and equitable disbursement of the Education Tax Fund.

    He added that TETFund’s 2024 budget lacked the necessary breakdowns and details of its expenditures and approved guidelines required for legislative scrutiny, as stipulated by law.

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    Adopting the motion, the House directed TETFund to submit reports of audited accounts of the fund, along with the receipts of beneficiary institutions, from 2018 to date.

    The Committee on TETFund and other relevant committees were tasked with implementing the resolutions and reporting back to the House within four weeks.