2018 budget padding: Senate replies Buhari, plans joint conference with Reps

macfranc007 June 21, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Naija news 24/7 Adeola Opeyemi

The National Assembly has responded to President Muhammadu Buhari's queries which was signed by the president on Wednesday, June 20.

The Senate said its actions while working on the budget was informed by the provisions of the Constitution on the need for inclusion, balance.

The Senate, in an official statement signed by the chairman of the senate committee on media and publicity, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi said: "The Senate has seen the statement issued by our sister chamber, the House of Representatives in response to the issues raised by President Muhammadu Buhari while signing into law the the 2018 Appropriations Bill, and we totally agree with the position stated therein (by the House of Representative).

"It should also be noted that the leadership of both chambers have directed the Chairmen of our Committees on Appropriations to provide an item by item, detailed explanation on all the points raised by the President for the benefit of members of the public. They will therefore address a press conference on Friday, June 22nd, 2018.

"It should however be noted that the action of the National Assembly while working on the budget was informed by the provisions of the Constitution on the need for inclusion, balance and the fact that the first responsibility of government is the security and welfare of all citizens."

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com earlier reported that the National Assembly has explained why it delayed the 2018 budget and made a cut of N347 billion in the allocations to 4,700 projects submitted for consideration and why it introduced new 6,403 projects amounting to N578 billion.

The president also complained that the National Assembly took too long before passing the budget, Premium Times reports.

Bala Na’ Allah, the deputy leader of the Senate who represented Senate president Bukola Saraki, and the chief whip of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Doguwa, who represented Speaker Yakubu Dogara, said the lawmakers had no option than to tinker with the budget estimates.

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