The National Assembly has shifted the passage of the 2018 budget to next week in spite of strong assurances that it would pass the money bill this week.

Spokesperson of the Senate, Sabi Abdullahi, revealed a new date for the passage of the 2018 budget after the Senate adjourned plenary tillnext Tuesday.

Recall that the budget was initially billed to be passed in December 2017 to enable the country return to a January – December budgetary calendar. However, this did not happen as Senators accused Ministers of failing to defend their budgets choosing, instead, to travel outside the country.

The passage was later set for the 24th of April 2018 but was eventually postponed till this week.

While briefing journalists on Wednesday, Sabi promised the budget will now be passednext Wednesday.

He said: “We are putting finishing touches to it (the budget). We were expecting that it would be laidon Tuesday so that we will pass it today, but that did not happen. It means next week, for sure, when we resumeon Tuesday, we will lay the report andon Wednesdaywe will approve the report.”

Members of the legislature are off to participate in the congresses of the All Progressive Congress (APC) this weekend across the country.