ABUJA—The National Assembly
leadership was last night set to meet
President Muhammadu Buhari to stave
off a constitutional logjam over the
2016 budget that has seen senators
threatening to override the budget bill.
The threat of veto override could be
triggered from next Tuesday upon the
lapse of the 30-day constitutional
window given the President to sign the
bill tomorrow.
The vow in a closed-door session of the
Senate came as senators across party
ranks rose in uproar against the alleged
actions of the chairman of the Senate
Committee on Appropriation, Senator
Danjuma Goje in mutilating the inputs of
the Senate committees on the budget.
Sources said that several senators
demanded Goje’s resignation from the
position.
Meanwhile, the Senate has dismissed
the public outrage against its purchase
of 36 exotic vehicles supposedly for
committee work at the cost of N35.1
million each, saying that senators were
of higher dignity than ministers and
other officials of the executive who it
claimed drive superior vehicles.
The vow by the senators to override the
President’s apparent veto on the 2016
appropriation bill, they claimed, was in
line with constitutional provisions
requiring the President to sign the
budget bill within 30 days of receiving it
or have his veto overridden.
The prospect of the National Assembly
overriding the veto was, however, a
matter of contention yesterday.
Vanguard gathered that the closed-door
meeting which lasted for one hour,
thirty minutes, presided over by Deputy
Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu was
characterized by uproar as senators
shouted on one another following some
irreconcilable differences.
A source at the meeting disclosed that
there was a very sharp disagreement
between members of the
Appropriations Committee who
complained that the committee
chairman, Senator Goje, APC, Gombe
Central, hijacked the entire budget
process and outsourced it to his
counterpart in the House of
Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin.
According to the source, some angry
Senators were said to have accused the
President of the Senate, Senator Bukola
Saraki of appointing Goje as chairman
of Appropriation simply because he was
a loyalist of his and a number of other
senators also called for his removal from
the position.
“We have decided to go and beg
President Muhammadu Buhari to sign
the budget into law and after which
every other correction and amendment
will be done,” a source present at the
session said.
“We have resolved that time is ticking
and if he fails to sign it within the
stipulated thirty days in line with the
Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria it will be assumed that the
President has withheld his assent and
the National Assembly will have no other
option than to override him, thereby
furthering the conflict between the
Executive and the Legislature.”
The 2016 Appropriation Bill was
forwarded to the President on March
23, 2016.
Following the closed-door session,
Senator Ekweremadu summed up the
proceedings thus: “The Senate in a
closed session deliberated on issues
relating to the 2016 Appropriation Bill
and the way forward for the quick
resolution of all the matters related to
the early implementation of the budget
in the best interest of our nation.”
Vanguard learnt last night that the
National Assembly delegation is
expected to counsel the President on
what is constitutionally expected of him
in the face of the crisis. The leadership,
it was gathered, would ask the
President to sign the budget as passed
and send an amendment bill
immediately to address the issues of
concern to the Presidency.
Yesterday, Chief Emeka Ngige, SAN
proffered his counsel on the issue.
Speaking with Vanguard in a telephone
interview, he said:
“The budget issue summarily calls for
give and take. It calls for collaboration
between the National Assembly and the
executive. If there are injections by the
joint committee of the NASS into the
budget, the NASS can retrieve the
budget from the President and remove
the injections and resend to the
President for assent.”
Meanwhile, Senate Leader, Senator Ali
Ndume who amplified on issues in the
legislative body following the closed-
door session said that President Buhari
has not returned the approved 2016
budget to the Senate but agreed that
the grey areas had been communicated
to the National Assembly.
He said, “We have seen the President
already on the budget, in fact meeting
the President by the Senate leadership is
not a big deal. It is not true that the
budget had been sent back to the
National Assembly. I am also not aware
that there is any communication from
the President on the issue.
“What I know is that areas of concern to
the Presidency are now with us here.
We are talking with the Presidency to
resolve all the issues.”
But when asked to speak on the call for
the removal of Senator Goje as
Chairman, Appropriations Committee,
Senator Ndume denied the claims.
On the outcry on the Senate’s decision
to purchase N35.1 million vehicles for its
members supposedly for committee
work even after collecting car loans
from the public treasury less than a year
ago, Senator Ndume said:
“A minister who is appointed, not
elected, drives a convoy of four cars.
Permanent Secretaries, Directors,
Commissioners, House of Assembly
members, and Council chairmen all drive
official vehicles. Are you all saying
federal lawmakers should not have
official vehicles? As a senator I can ride
in any means of transportation
including Keke NAPEP, if it will take me
to my destination."
House spokesman, Abdulrazaq Namdas
also confirmed that the House had
received the President’s communication
on his concerns on the budget as
passed by the National Assembly.
He, however, declined to reveal the grey
areas listed by the President, as he
avoided questions on whether the
Calabar-Lagos rail line project was
included in the letter.
Lending credence to rumours that both
the Senate and the House of
Representatives had not yet agreed on
how best to go about the controversies
surrounding the budget, Namdas
confirmed that both chambers would
meet within the week.
‘’We need to reach a consensus with the
Senate and harmonise our position. The
joint team will then meet with the
President this week and we hope after
the meeting, the budget will be signed,’’
Namdas said.
He said the House wanted the rule of
law to take its course in the trial of
Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
“On the trial of Senate President, we
believe in the rule of law and every
Nigerian remains innocent until proven
guilty,’’ said Namdas, who is chairman,
House Committee on Media and
Publicity.
The National Assembly had on
Wednesday, March 23, 2016 passed the
2016 Appropriation Bill submitted by
President Muhammadu Buhari in
December last year.
The budget passed was
N17,002,641,773 billion naira lower
than the figure of N6,060,677,358,277
trillion naira presented by President
Buhari to the National Assembly, just as
the 2016 fiscal document, contained
the estimates of revenue and
expenditure of the federation for the
2016 fiscal year in the aggregate sum of
six trillion naira. linkis.com/www.vanguardngr.com/XGiEA

This country sef

#I stand With Senate on this.

gud for them

Lol. They don't really know the battle driven and ready Buhari.

When it comes to national matters, consider Buhari obstinate and extremely resolute.

We shall see how the upper chamber will be ridiculed.

Senate has power only when it gets the general populace behind it. But now, the reverse is the case. Senate without power is no match for Executive.

Meanwhile, the Senate has dismissed the public outrage against its purchase of 36 exotic vehicles supposedly for committee work at the cost of N35.1 million each, saying that senators were of higher dignity than ministers and other officials of the executive who it claimed drive superior vehicles.

The Negro, as already observed, exhibits the natural man in his completely wild and untamed state. We must lay aside all thought of reverence and morality – all that we call feeling – if we would rightly comprehend him; there is nothing harmonious with humanity to be found in this type of character--Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel

This country don tire person self

We are almost half way through the year, and the budget has not been signed yet, diz chanji get as e bi SMH

alienvirus:
Lol. They don't really know the battle driven and ready Buhari.

When it comes to national matters, consider Buhari obstinate and extremely resolute.

We shall see how the upper chamber will be ridiculed.

Senate has power only when it gets the general populace behind it. But now, the reverse is the case. Senate without power is no match for Executive.

Zombie

If dem wan veto, mak dem go ahead & do it, & not to b making us to de salivate for political WWEs!

All I kno is that there is more to this Lagos+Calabar rail than our eyes can see

Ok

Senate veto the budget. Buhari is wasting time. please let us forget political correctness here. things are not thesame as it used to. How can one single man be playing with the loves of 170 million Nigerians? This was how he behaved when he was sworn in. it took him six months before appointing ministers. The ripple effect is still on. Act swift and get things done.

Opinedecandid:
#I stand With Senate on this.

Thenyou are an enemy of this country.

sanandreas:
Senate veto the budget. Buhari is wasting time. please let us forget political correctness here. things are not thesame as it used to. How can one single man be playing with the loves of 170 million Nigerians? This was how he behaved when he was sworn in. it took him six months before appointing ministers. The ripple effect is still on. Act swift and get things done.

Cry mi a river.Some of you don't know what's happening or you know but keep posting trash.We might have be going through a lot but things have to be done in a normal way of doing things.APC is a blessing in disguise.Only the sane knows what I mean.This is a party where we have good people who want go things for Nigerians.Not where robbing paul to pay peter party.

figment232:
Zombie

Wailing wailer.

And some of these senators will receive the bitten of their life when they visit their constituency for daring PMB (Isah Misau). Most of them from APC rode to that seat using PMB name. It's nonsensical to drag his name in mud having enjoyed his goodwill and expect the member of your constituency who see PMB as second to none to seat and watch you mess him up.

Veto dosnt end it......let them also implement it.........I see no reason y d president hav to append his signature on that irregularity done by d senate and called a budget.......budget dat was tampered wit right from d first day it got to d almighty hallowed chamber...........................................the senate is part of d problem of dis country

These people wan die,they better be careful or never show their face in public again because Nigerians are angry

Na dem sabi, Its just as if this is the first time the president will be presenting budget. Thank God my life is not control by this budget

With the exclusion of Lagos - Calabar railway, the Southern Senators won't support it hence it won't scale through.

Just DOA.

This present senate disgusts me no end.

Edit:

That iPod dung beetle trolling on this thread is the reason someone created a thread titled "Nigeria is full of useless people".

alienvirus:
Lol. They don't really know the battle driven and ready Buhari.

When it comes to national matters, consider Buhari obstinate and extremely resolute.

We shall see how the upper chamber will be ridiculed.

Senate has power only when it gets the general populace behind it. But now, the reverse is the case. Senate without power is no match for Executive.

Did u even read wat u posted, the executive has no power over the legislative. But the legislative can remove the president. Just so u know.

disloman:
Cry mi a river.Some of you don't know what's happening or you know but keep posting trash.We might have be going through a lot but things have to be done in a normal way of doing things.APC is a blessing in disguise.Only the sane knows what I mean.This is a party where we have good people who want go things for Nigerians.Not where robbing paul to pay peter party.

Who submitted a budget that was padded right, left, centre? And later stole it and presented another padded one? Was it not the Executive? Don't exclude buhari from this. He is the head and all complains willl fall on his desk.

This budget is heavily padded in favour of the NA. The greedy lot only think of themselves in everything they do. Wasting funds to buy exotic choice cars, amending CCT to protect and promote corruption and now padding our budget for their own selfish gains!

Buhari, pls do not sign. Let them veto you. It will be on record that the presidency was not in support of this attrocity

Progressive01:
This present senate disgusts me no end.

And the executive that created the budget of corruption, is not disgusting u abi? Is it d senate that padded the budget. Was it not the executive.

My friend Buhari has failed, wen it comes to this budget matter.

Pavarottii:

Did u even read wat u posted, the executive has no power over the legislative. But the legislative can remove the president. Just so u know.

You definitely missed the most important point of my post. Thanks for showing up at least.

We are entering May without a budget,even the 2015 budget by GEJ was was fulfilled. And Nigerians are here blaming d senate.

Is it the senate that padded the budget?
Is it the senate that stole the budget and brought it back?
Is it the senate that told ministers not to know what actually was budgeted in their ministries.
Is it the senate that said "this is not the budget I submitted"?
Is it the senate that excluded the Lagos- Calabar rail project?

It's all the failure of the Executive. Shows a high level of incompetence,cluelessness, inexperience, corruption in this BUHARI led administration.

BUHARI HAS FAILED NIGERIANS ON THIS BUDGET.

Pavarottii:

Who submitted a budget that was padded right, left, centre? And later stole it and presented another padded one? Was it not the Executive? Don't exclude buhari from this. He is the head and all complains willl fall on his desk.

Cry mi a river.

Pavarottii:

[s]And the executive that created the budget of corruption, is not disgusting u abi? Is it d senate that padded the budget. Was it not the executive.

My friend Buhari has failed, wen it comes to this budget matter.[/s]

You should go join your brethren in the streets protesting for Saraki and not making a mockery of yourself online.

Now, it is lawlessness everywhere.

Progressive01:
You should go join your brethren in the streets protesting for Saraki and not making a mockery of yourself online.

Just like u've been making a mockery of urself with the trash u've been posting.

These are the people that are the major problems of Nigeria.


When it comes to corrupt practices, they become one.


Wish there's a way to just scrap this senators and house of reps.



Bunch of air heads