Buhari Withdrew The Budget Through The Backdoor – Senator
As controversy deepens over the where about of the hard copy of the 2016 budget proposal presented by President Muhammadu Buhari to a joint session of the National Assembly last December, a senator has confided in The Whistler that the president withdrew the proposal through the backdoor.
The Senator, who asked not to be named, accused the presidency of grandstanding over claims that the National Assembly leadership should be held responsible for the missing document.
“It is ironic that a government that claims accountability cannot be transparent. I can assure that none of us (senators) is aware of the sectoral allocations contained in the budget proposal.”
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In apparent reference to the high powered panel constituted by Senate President Bukola Saraki to fish out the document, the lawmaker said: “it was wrong for the Senate, the highest law making body of the federation to behave as if all is well when it is obvious that something is amiss.
“If the budget was withdrawn, it could have been appropriate and reasonable for those involved in the whole affair to say so.
“To smuggle out a budget that was presented to a joint session of the National Assembly under suspicious circumstances is unacceptable to most of us.”
It will be recalled that immediately the news broke of the missing document, the Senate President was at the Presidential Villa to meet with President Buhari on Tuesday.
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After the meeting, Saraki refused State House correspondents question on the missing budget proposal.
