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There are reports that the President Muhammadu Buhari had again returned the Budget2016 to the National Assembly but last night, the presidency denied the report.
Daily Sun quoted Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang, as saying that there was no truth in reports that the budget had been returned to the National Assembly again.
His words:
“It is not true. Everything is moving according to plans,”
The Presidency insisted that the budget review committees, drawn from the Presidency and the National Assembly were doing their best to complete their assignment of correcting the grey areas which will be submitted to President Buhari’s assent in the next few days.E
Another presidential aide who pleaded anonymity said:
“The two committees are meeting to take a common position on all the areas. There is nothing like returning the budget to anybody. Those saying that are ignorant of what is in place.”
The presidency sqid it had to correct the rumour that President Buhari had queried some amendments made to the budget and ordered that it be returned to the National Assembly .
A report by Vanguard had it on Tuesday 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.
But Daily Sun reports that “the report was sparked by an alleged meeting between principal officers of the National Assembly and members of the review committee at the Senate wing of the National Assembly. The meeting reportedly lasted between 3.00pm and 5.30pm yesterday.
A source at the meeting alleged that:
“The budget got to the Villa (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 cannot 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 did. I think this is one of the reasons why it was returned.”
He claimed that the president would assent to the budget today should the lawmakers make all the corrections and transmit the document to him last night.