FG denies withdrawing 2016 Budget

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has dismissed speculations that the Federal Government has withdrawn the 2016 Appropriation Bill from the National Assembly for certain “alterations.”

There were rumours that President Muhammadu Buhari had written to the National Assembly requesting to withdraw the N6.08 trillion budget proposal he had presented in December 22, 2015.

But Mohammed while speaking with Daily Trust on Monday said the speculation was a “big lie. There is nothing like that, we don’t know where they are getting that story.”

Also speaking on the matter, the Senate Leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume who spoke with the newspaper said the budget proposal was not withdrawn.

According to Ndume, it was impossible to withdraw the budget, noting that it could only be adjusted during its defence at the National Assembly.

“It is not a document that you can just write and say you are withdrawing it. The budget proposal that has been laid at a joint session of the National Assembly cannot just be withdrawn like that. Budget proposal is not a document that is sacrosanct. You can adjust it and this is why it is before us. During the budget defence, it can be adjusted if need be,” he said.

Ndume disclosed that the budget defence would start as soon as the lawmakers resume from their Christmas and New Year break on January 12.

“It is then that they can add or do whatever they want on it, but it cannot be withdrawn like that,” Ndume said.

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