The 2016 Appropriation Bill has been returned again
to the National Assembly for further legislative work as President Muhammadu
Buhari was said to have picked faults in the re-worked budget.
It was reliably gathered that the re-worked budget
was sent to the president at about 1: 15am on Tuesday but was returned to the
National Assembly at about 12.00 noon Tuesday.
Attempts to get some of the principal officers and
the review committee members to confirm or deny the budget return story proved
abortive as some of them switched off their phones while those whose phones
were active ignored calls and refused to respond to SMS.
A source close to the committee confirmed that the
budget was actually submitted to the president but he refused to touch it due
to some issues he was not comfortable with.
He said “the budget got to the State House at about
1.10am and Mr. President went through it early this morning and still had some
issues with some of the figures. I can not tell you exactly what it was but I
think the insertions made by the lawmakers were not significantly altered.
“You know the lawmakers had moved some allocations
for key projects that are dear to the president to other areas especially to
their constituency projects. Of course, they have changed some but I believe
Mr. President is not satisfied with the reconciliation they made. I think this
is one of the reasons why it was returned”. .
He also disclosed that the president would assent
to the budget tomorrow (Wednesday) should the lawmakers make all the
corrections and transmit the document to him tonight.
“I can assure you, Mr. President is desirous to
sign the budget because he is aware and has acknowledged that Nigerians are
going through hardship. He is also concerned so if the budget is cleaned up
this night and sent to him, he will sign it as soon as possible. That I know
very well”
today.ng
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