Few hours to the 2018 Budget presentation, Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and his House of Representatives counterpart, Hon. Yakubu Dogara are in deft moves to pacify their colleagues ahead of Buhari’s visit tomorrow.
This is lawmakers of both Chambers have threatened to boycott joint sessions slated for tomorrow, Tuesday over abysmal implementation of the 2017 budget by the executive.
DAILY POST findings followed House of Representatives’ complaints last week Thursday that the Executive’s shoddy implementation of 2017’s N7.4trillion budget has affected their performances in the sight of their electorates, hence, they were demanding explanation on the budget.
As a result, the aggrieved members were sticking to the guns that the Budget must not be presented as scheduled.
The set of lawmakers from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), further alleged that the Executive has taken the nation for granted, saying that the implementation of the 2017 budget was less than 40%.
Lamenting the situation, they said they had only one outstanding budget to attend to before expiration of the 8th session, but had not seen any meaningful developments that would convince their electorates back home.
They also hinted that the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for 2017 as envisaged in law had not been passed, thus, making it look as if the leadership of both Chambers were weak.
Speaking with a member from Kaduna on the platform of the All Progressive Congress, though, under anonymity, he accused the Senate President of being responsible for a long standing friction between the Legislature and Executive.
He said, “you know the National Assembly under Saraki has never enjoyed good relationship with the executive.
“There have never been a good rapport with the Executive. He has brazenly made up his mind to frustrate the APC government which you journalists could see from his stance.
“Normally, when you observe anormally in the implementation of budget as was the 2017 case, Senate President, and the Speaker ought to have close ranks and discuss with Mr. President, but he never did that and the year is gone.”
As at the time of this report, DAILY POST learnt Saraki was pacifying Senators ahead of tomorrow’s budget presentation to avoid any embarrassment.
Sources close to Saraki’s office indicated that he was shocked to have discovered that Senators too have issues with Tuesday’s event.
The situation prompted him to begin making contacts to those he felt were angry.
Meanwhile, the newly appointed Secretary to the government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha met with the Senate President for about 45 minutes behind close doors.
It was alledged that he discussed with the Senate President over the development.
Though, the SGF declined speaking with journalists, who were curiously waiting, the Senate President was said to have assured him that Tuesday’s presentation of Budget would be hitch-free.
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