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Blame National Assembly leadership for 2022 budget padding- Aggrieved lawmakers

Published

2 years ago

January 9, 2022

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Another budget padding scandal may be brewing at the National Assembly, following complaints by President Muhammadu Buhari before signing the 2022 Appropriation Bill into law penultimate Friday.

Some aggrieved members across the two chambers about the development said that members were not carried along on the projects inserted.

They alleged that only the leadership of the two chambers and members of their respective Appropriation Committees were beneficiaries.

The President had, while signing the 2022 Appropriation Bill and the 2021 Finance Bill into law in December 2021, expressed strong reservations on the “worrisome changes” made by the National Assembly to the budget estimate. He lamented the reduction in the provisions for many strategic capital projects to introduce ‘Empowerment’ projects.

Buhari accused the National Assembly of reducing provisions for about 10,733 projects and introducing 6,576 new projects, which increased the budget from N16.39tn by N735.85bn to N17.13tn.

“The cut in the provisions for several of these projects by the National Assembly may render the projects unimplementable or set back their completion, especially some of this Administration’s strategic capital projects,” the President added.

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He had also expressed his reservations on the “inclusion of new provisions totaling N36.59bn for National Assembly projects in the Service Wide Vote, which negates the principles of separation of powers and financial autonomy of the legislative arm of government.”

However, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, had defended the action of the lawmakers, insisting that they acted in the interest of Nigerians. Some other members also told our correspondent in separate interviews that by virtue of the power of appropriation conferred on the National Assembly by the Constitution, the lawmakers have the right to tinker with the Appropriation Bill like any other bill.

But one of the aggrieved members, who is a ranking member, accused the leadership of both chambers and their respective Committees on Appropriation of unilaterally and discreetly inserting the projects Buhari complained about at the budget signing ceremony.

The lawmaker, who is a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, alleged that the insertions were made unknown to other members of the National Assembly until the President raised the issue.

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He said, “Majority of the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate are not aware of the insertions. The insertions came from the Committee on Appropriations and the leadership of the two chambers.”

Asked about the true owners of the projects, the lawmaker said, “The projects are tied to mostly the leadership and membership of the committees – the two committees. Go and check it. Their number in the House, I don’t know. But in the Senate, they are more than 30. Those are the people that did this insertion.

“As far as senators and members of the House are concerned, they are not aware of the increase. Nobody discussed it whether at plenary or during a closed session.”

On the claim by another lawmaker that the projects were inserted to serve electioneering purposes, the source said, “Only a few benefitted.”

Another lawmaker in the lower chamber averred that what the leadership did was unfair to other members. He explained that since the entire National Assembly came under attack by both the President and members of the public, the benefit should not be for a privileged few while other members were kept in the dark.

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The lawmaker added, “My disappointment with the President is that this issue of yearly complaint is not new. However, the caveat that he would forward amendments (via a supplementary budget) is something that we will look up to.”

He argued that the President should have withheld assent to the budget like he did to the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill.

The lawmaker added, “Ask members, some senators don’t even know what is happening. Many senators don’t know. Members of the House of Representatives don’t know, unless those that are close to the beneficiaries and have lobbied them.

“The culprits are those that signed the budget, I mean the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee in our chamber, the House of Representatives, and his committee.”

Related Topics:2022 BUDGET National Assembly

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‘Breach of law’ — Oshiomhole condemns Ododo for ‘rescuing’ Yahaya Bello during EFCC siege

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2 hours ago

April 29, 2024

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Adams Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo north, has faulted Usman Ododo, governor of Kogi, for his interference in the saga involving Yahaya Bello and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The EFCC is accusing Bello, immediate-past governor of Kogi, of money laundering and corruption to the tune of N80.2 billion.

BACKGROUND

On April 17, EFCC operatives laid siege to Bello’s Abuja residence in a bid to arrest him for grilling.

While the operatives were at Bello’s residence, Ododo arrived at the scene.

Shortly after Ododo left the residence, the EFCC operatives ended their siege. There were reports that Ododo had surreptitiously whisked Bello away in one of the cars in his convoy.

Amid the drama, the Kogi high court delivered judgment in a fundamental rights enforcement suit, restraining the commission from “harassing, threatening to arrest or detaining” the former governor.

On the same day, the EFCC obtained a warrant of arrest against Bello from a federal high court in Abuja.

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Subsequently, the anti-graft agency declthe former governor wanted, while the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) placed Bello on a watchlist.

Bello was also absent for an arraignment that was initially scheduled for April 18, citing fear of arrest.

‘WRONG USE OF IMMUNITY’

Speaking on Saturday at the national integration conference, Oshiomhole said Ododo’s “rescue” of Bello and the former governor’s refusal to show up in court constitutes a breach of the law.

The conference which had ‘Revisiting the national question: Nigeria’s elusive search for national integration’ as its theme, was organised by the Kukah Centre.

The senator also urged citizens to speak up against breaches of the law — irrespective of who is involved.

“If you are afraid, given the fact that you are very vocal, you are independent, you cannot be dismissed, you cannot be promoted or demoted… if you are afraid to mention the name of a former governor who breached the law and a sitting governor who used his immunity to cover a governor that lost immunity, where will the courage come from?” Oshiomhole said.

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“This sophistry of saying we can name the child of a poor man who steal(s) a goat but we are afraid to mention the name of a big man who breached the law, that for me is at the root of our problems.”

‘ALL CHILDREN MUST HAVE ACCESS TO EDUCATION’

Bello had also allegedly paid $760,910 in advance fees to the American International School Abuja (AISA), for five of his children from the coffers of the Kogi state government.

The children are in grade levels 2 to 8 at the school.

Oshiomhole said during his spell as Edo governor, his colleagues denied children of the poor access to education.

“As a former governor, I was a member of the national economic council (NEC) where some state governors argued that they did not have the resources to pay 50 percent subsidy in order to ensure that the children of the poor go to school even when those governors are sending their own children abroad,” Oshiomhole added.

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The former Edo governor said leaders must possess the political will to implement laws they enact.

“What I consider to be the most important investment, namely, that never should a child be born in this country and be denied access to go to school,” he said.

Kogi ranked 27th across states in Nigeria with the highest number of out-of-school children (ages 6–15).

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PHOTOS: Lagos commuters stranded as fares spike by 50% amid petrol scarcity

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2 hours ago

April 29, 2024

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Commuters in many parts of Lagos were on Monday left stranded at different bus stops in the metropolis, amid the lingering petrol scarcity.

Fares were hiked by 50 percent as motorists filled up dispensing stations for the scarce commodity.

Some filling stations were shuttered, while others still selling petrol were encircled by long queues.

Some motorists said they bought petrol at N700 and N800 per litre at filling stations. Roadside dealers now sell the product for N1000 and N1200 per litre.

The petrol scarcity triggered a 50 percent increase in fares across Lagos.

From Abule Egba roundabout to Agege, commuters were asked to pay N300, which was previously N150 or N200. From Agege to Alausa in Ikeja is now N400, which cost N300 last week.

From Berger to Ikeja, commuters pay as high as N1000 in fares.

In most of the bus stops visited by TheCable on Monday morning, survival of the fittest was the prevailing philosophy as hordes of commuters were seen running after a few commercial buses

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Good morning! Here Are Some Major News Headlines In The Newspapers Today: VGC chairman found dead inside his car in Lagos

Published

8 hours ago

April 29, 2024

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1. A Lagos-based man, Gihan Mbelu, has reportedly died in his vehicle in the Victoria Garden City area of Lagos State on Friday. It was gathered on Sunday that 42-year-old Mbelu had reportedly parked his car, a Mercedes C300 4Matic, running for several hours while he sat motionless in the car.

2. In response to the devastating tanker fire incident in Rivers State, President Bola Tinubu has directed federal agencies to continue providing support to the state government in addressing the aftermath of the tragedy. President Tinubu’s message, contained in a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, also extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims of the fire incident.

3. As the demolition of properties along the right of way for the construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway begins, the federal government has promised to conduct the process with sensitivity, aiming to minimize disruptions to the lives of those affected.

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4. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, says two notorious drug kingpins: Uwaezuoke Ikenna Christian and Agbo Chidike Prince have been sentenced to life imprisonment for dealing in cocaine. Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, said this brings to an end to their years of criminal enterprise of exporting cocaine across continents.

5. No fewer than 40 observers have been deployed by the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, to Togo, ahead of the parliamentary and regional election. The elections have been scheduled for April 29, 2024. This was revealed in a statement by the regional body.

6. Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Sunday, April 28, warned petrol stations against hoarding of fuel as scarcity hit the state. Adeleke through his chief of staff, Kazeem Akinleye, who is also the chairman, Petroleum Monitoring Taskforce, warned against creating artificial scarcity.

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7. Former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has tackled Northern governors over their recent trip to the United States. In a Facebook post, he said the trip exposed the governors’ ignorance of the country’s constitution. According to him, security is solely the responsibility of the federal government because it is on the exclusive list.

8. The naira has demonstrated signs of strengthening against the United States dollar, appreciating by N125 to reach N1,275/$1 over the weekend. The new rate represents a 9.8 per cent increase when compared to N1,400 to a dollar it traded at the close of trading activity on Friday.

9. The immediate-past governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, on Sunday, asked his counterpart in Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to come out of his hiding and answer his case with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Speaking at a Redeemed Christian Church of God in Makurdi, Benue State during the thanksgiving service organised by his aides for his 63rd birthday celebration, Ortom advised Bello to come out of hiding.

READ National Assembly sends 2022 budget to Buhari for assent

10.
The campaign coordinator of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa in Supare, Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State, Alaba Abbey, has been shot dead. Late Abbey was shot dead on Saturday evening at his residence in Supare.