There was a mild drama on the floor of the House of Representatives on Wednesday during the presentation of the 2025 budget estimates to a joint sitting of the National Assembly when President Bola Tinubu mistakenly referred to the 10th session of the Assembly as 11th Assembly.
Tinubu’s slip of tongue, which stirred immediate reactions from Senators and members of the House of Representatives in an attempt to correct the President, led to a standing ovation when the President said his factual error implied that all the lawmakers were re-elected.
Stipulated standard has it that 11th session of the National Assembly should be inaugurated in June 2027 after the expiration of the current 10th session.
Tinubu said: “I hereby present the 2025 budget to the joint session of the 11th National Assembly.” But the lawmakers shouted “10th” to correct the President, and Tinubu responded: “10th? I wrote 11th, which means you are all reelected.” The federal lawmakers, in turn, gave Tinubu a standing ovation for his pronouncement.
