House of Reps explain why they haven't forwarded details of the 2016 budget to Buhari.

The House of Representatives has issued a
statement explaining why they have not
forwarded the details of the 2016 budget to
President Buhari, an action that has prevented
Buhari to sign the budget into law.

The chairman House Committee on
Appropriations, Abdulmumin Jibrin, in the
statement released today, said the practice
of witholding the budget for a few days or
weeks by the National Assembly has always
been there and that due to the fact that the
"padded" budget was presented to them late,
they need time to scrutinize the details.

The
statement in part reads.

“The general public should note that the
MTEF and 2016 budget proposal came to
NASS very late.

You will also recall that a
lot of dust was raised over different
versions of the budget circulated in the
national assembly.

Further, some
ministers disowned the content of the
budget during defence before NASS.

Amid these inconsistencies and
discrepancies, the NASS had been deeply
engrossed in perfecting the anomalies,
ironing out of the wrinkles and stretching
the twists inherent in the 2016
appropriation bill.

In order for the nation to move forward
and avoid stagnation of administrative
processes, the tradition is that the bill is
passed and forwarded to the presidency
for assent, while the lawmakers continue
to work on the details.

There is nothing
abnormal about this practice and yet
nothing abnormal about a president
assenting a budget before or after seeing
the details. In any case, the budget
details are usually sent within a week or
two after passing the budget.

In view of the inconsistencies, errors,
omissions and padding that characterised
the 2016 Budget, it would be unpatriotic
of NASS to forward the budget details
without being extra-careful, meticulous
and cautious in discharging its duties.

This is to ensure we do not make same
mistake that the executive made.

The Appropriation committee needs to
scrutinize the original proposal sent by
the president vis-à-vis the reports of
various Standing Committees of the
House of Representatives and the Senate
to arrive at a clean copy of the budget
details.

This will in no way affect any
envelop already passed or the aggregate
expenditure.

The NASS holds the President in high
esteem and will continue to support him.

There were several instances where we
demonstrated our support to the present
administrations in the past.

At the risk of sounding immodest, the
NASS approved the President’s Special
Advisers without hitch, approved
ministerial nominees without rancour,

approved Supplementary Budget without
delay and displayed a rare show of
patriotism in the receipt and passage of
the 2016 Medium Term Expenditure
Framework and budget.

The 2016 Budget is the most challenging
budget the NASS has ever passed in its
recent history. Taking into account the
many controversies and omissions,

particularly in NYSC, Prisons, Pensions,
personnel shortfalls, among others, the
budget failed in many respects to connect
with the policy thrust of the government.

The NASS Appropriation Committees
worked round the clock to address some
of the omissions, bring up to date
allocations in the budget towards the
policy direction of Mr. President,
particularly issues relating to security,
anti-corruption and economic
diversification.

Given the foregoing efforts, it is therefore
unfair for accusing fingers to be pointed
at NASS when the Presidency defers or
delays assent to the budget.

Nowhere in
the world that a budget is presented to
the Parliament, and expect it to be
passed warts and all without subjecting it
to the rigours of scrutiny, debate and
painstaking processes and inputs of the
parliament.

The NASS will continue to exercise its
constitutional duty of appropriation to
the latter. While recognising the
President’s power to withhold assent, the
NASS is also constitutionally required and
has power to veto. But we don’t want
that to happen and we don’t see this
happening in this case.

It is obvious that some fifth columnists
are crying wolf where there is none and
are also bent on creating friction and
disharmony between the NASS and the
Presidency,”.