Tinubu Asks Reps to Approve N100.5bn Payment to Yobe
President Bola Tinubu has asked the House of Representatives to approve a N100.5bn promissory note programme to reimburse the Yobe State Government for the takeover of the Muhammadu Buhari International Airport in Damaturu. The request was conveyed in a letter read by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas during plenary on Tuesday as lawmakers resumed legislative business after their annual recess. Tinubu said the Federal Executive Council approved the airport’s takeover at an extraordinary meeting on May 23, 2023, alongside a decision to compensate the state through a promissory note issued by the Debt Management Office. According to the President, the Bureau of Public Procurement reviewed the project and recommended N100,509,017,255 as the amount payable to Yobe. The proposed reimbursement would formalise the Federal Government’s financial obligation to the state, but remains subject to consideration and approval by the National Assembly.
In separate communications, Tinubu also transmitted the National Research Development Fund Bill, the Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocols Bill, 2026, and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Enforcement Bill, 2026, for legislative consideration. The Geneva Conventions proposal seeks to repeal the existing Geneva Convention Act and incorporate the 1949 Geneva Conventions and two Additional Protocols adopted in 1977 into Nigerian law, strengthening protections for civilians, wounded and sick combatants, and prisoners of war during armed conflicts. The Rome Statute bill seeks to establish a domestic framework for implementing the treaty, addressing offences including genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, and facilitating Nigeria’s cooperation with the International Criminal Court. During his resumption address, Abbas identified the proposals as important legislative priorities, citing their national and diplomatic significance. He commended Tinubu for transmitting the bills and said the House was prepared to discharge its constitutional responsibilities in considering them. Lawmakers will determine the next steps in the legislative process.
#UTVAfrica#
