The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, on Sunday condemned reports by some sections of the media that the National Assembly removed certain key infrastructural projects proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari from the 2016 budget.
On Saturday, reports quoting anonymous presidency sources, stated that President Muhammadu Buhari made a proposal of N60 billion Lagos-Calabar rail project in the budget but was removed from the budget by the National Assembly.
While the report claimed that the proposal for the Idu-Kaduna rail was reduced, it also added that Lagos-Kano rail project was left intact.
Speaking on the controversy, Sunday, Mr. Dogara confirmed that President Buhari did not propose any Lagos-Calabar rail project in the budget submitted to the National Assembly.
He said this via his Twitter account @speakerdogara.
He twitted, “Barefaced lies. Where is the evidence of provision of N60b for Coastal Rail line in the budget estimate?”
“The relevant question to ask is, was it provided for in the Budget estimate sent to NASS?”
“Who in the Presidency said so? The Presidential spokesman or Minister of information? Name the source.”
“I guess from beer parlours as any reasonable man claiming so would have given the hard evidence.
“Absolute rubbish. They are smart enough to demand evidence. Let them publish it if they have any.
“Playing this North – South game is unhelpful. That’s simply the goal of the planters of this factoid.
“Nothing like presidency involved here. It’s a shameless falsehood meant to stir hatred. It’s most despicable.”
DAILY POST had earlier reported that, the Chairman, House Committee on Appropriations, Abdulmumin Jibrin said via his twitter handle (@Abdulabmj) that there was no such proposal in the budget sent to the National Assembly.
He said, “Lagos-Calabar Railway line was NEVER captured in the budget that was sent by the Executive. How then could it have been removed by NASS?
“All they, and those spreading the false information needed to have done is check the initial document sent by the Executive.”
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