No Budget Missing–Senate

Spokesman of the Nigerian Senate, Aliyu Abdullahi, has clarify the controversy trailing the N6.08 trillion 2016 budget said to be missing at the National Assembly.

On Tuesday, reports went viral that the document was no where to be found. Later in the day, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja and he decline speaking with anxious journalists after the meeting on the issue.

But in an interview with Channels Television on Tuesday, Abdullahi said he was not aware that the 2016 budget was missing.

He said, “To the best of my knowledge, I am not aware of any missing budget. What we discussed today is how we are going to work assiduously, as Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to consider the budget as submitted by the President.

“Added to this, we have agreed that we should work hard to make sure that by the end of February the budget is ready for approval or assent by the President.”

Also sharing the same view, Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Abdulmumin Jibrin, said that there is no truth to insinuations that the 2016 budget document is missing.

“As far as I am concerned, that story does not hold water. We were expecting copies to be printed and sent to the National Assembly but there was a bit of delay.

“As at yesterday, I can confirm to you that the Appropriation Committee in the House received a lot of copies of the budget. By the time the Clerk counted it today, it was not sufficient to go round members.

“I spoke with the Minister of Planning earlier today [Tuesday] and he assured me that before the end of today he will deliver the remaining copies.

“For the soft copy I also reminded him and he sent it to me and I handed it over to the House,” the lawmaker explained.