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Tag: Budget presentation

  • JUST IN: NASS members reiterate support for Tinubu at budget presentation

    JUST IN: NASS members reiterate support for Tinubu at budget presentation

    Members of the National Assembly reaffirmed their support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his arrival at the House of Representatives chamber on Wednesday for the presentation of the 2025 budget.

    The President arrived at the green chamber around 12:25 pm, where he was warmly received by lawmakers from both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

    The legislators chanted, “On your mandate, we shall stand,” as a show of solidarity with the president.

    Read Also: BREAKING: Tinubu begins 2025 budget presentation

    President Tinubu’s budget presentation marks a significant step in his administration’s fiscal agenda for 2025, aiming to address critical national issues and further economic growth.

    Details of the proposed budget are expected to focus on infrastructure, healthcare, education, and job creation, aligning with the administration’s vision of fostering sustainable development.

    The event underscores the unity between the executive and legislative arms in driving Nigeria’s progress amidst challenges.

  • Budget presentation: ‘Heckling of Buhari was barbaric’

    The Buhari/Osinbajo Youth Support Movement (BOYSM) has described as barbaric, the heckling of President Muhammadu Buhari by some lawmakers during the presentation of 2019 budget.

    It said the President presented the budget in compliance with Section 148 of the 1999 Constitution, adding that the lawmakers’ conduct did not portray them as good role models to young people.

    BOYSM said in a statement by its National President, Comrade Ibe Emeni: “By Section 148 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the President can appear for himself in any government function or delegate his function to any officer of his government. We commend the President for taking the bold step in the self-presentation of the budget.

    “The leadership of BOYSM condemns the action of the federal lawmakers by jeering at the number one citizen of the country.

    “It should be noted that the federal legislators are models to the upcoming Nigerian youths, but their display of shame goes to the root of their understanding of legislative works.

    “President Buhari has taken the National Assembly so serious and as a matter of courtesy, personally presented the budget.

    “Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan for most part of their administration sent the budget to the house via a covering letter through their Finance ministers.

    “The opposition National Assembly members were very disrespectful for their misconduct and became so unruly to the symbol of our national sovereignty during an event that was broadcast live on television stations.”

    According to the group, the rowdy session suggested that a majority of the opposition legislators were insensitive to the plight of Nigerians.

    It said: “They have shown that the 8th Assembly is not for the people but politics driven. Everything is on party politics, nothing about the Nigerian state and the poor Nigerians.

    “The President’s speech, which was read at the floor of the House, clearly summarises that the Nigerian economy has recovered from recession and growing to perfection, that the government has made strenuous and successful effort to overcome insurgency in the Northeast.

    “That the government has sustained its effort in fighting grand corruption and improve public financial management through the comprehensive implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

    “That the government has maintained sustained accretion to foreign exchange reserves from a low $28.57billion in 2015 to $42.92billion in 2018. That the country has moved from deficit to surplus in our trade balance.”

  • Budget presentation: NANS wants NASS to apologise to Nigerians

    The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) wants  members of the National Assembly to apologise to Nigerians for what it described as lawmakers’  unruly behaviour during President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2019 budget presentation .

    The Public Relations Officer of NANS, Mr Azeez Adeyemi, made the call yesterday  in Abeokuta.

    Adeyemi condemned the lawmakers’ behaviour, saying that it had further tarnished the external image of the country.

    He urged the lawmakers to always promote the integrity of the country, while according due respect to its leaders.

    Read also: Video: Buhari hailed at National Assembly

    He stressed that the legislators should jettison personal and political interests while treating matters of national interest.

    He said:”Nigerian students believe that members of the National Assembly should be role models to Nigerian youths and students by displaying worthy and enviable character.

    “It is important to place respect for the honour and integrity of our dear country above any personal or political interests.

    “We, hereby, call on the leadership of the National Assembly to, as a matter of necessity, apologise to the entire people of Nigeria over the members’ unruly conduct during the president’s budget presentation,” he said.

    The NANS spokesperson, nonetheless, urged the National Assembly members to scrutinise the 2019 appropriation bill before its passage so as to ensure the outcome was in the best interest of all Nigerians.

  • Budget presentation: Group condemns attitude of opposition lawmakers

    The No Alternative To Buhari-Osinbajo 2019 (NATBO 2019), has condemned the conduct of the opposition lawmakers, during the presentation of the 2019 budget by President Muhammadu Buhari to the joint session of the national assembly, last Wednesday.

    In a statement signed by the National Coordinator of the group, Mr. Vincent Uba, it described the action of the lawmakers as deplorable, and capable of smearing the image and credibility of Nigeria in the international community.

    “Inasmuch as democracy bestows freedom of expression on the citizenry, that freedom is not absolute to the level of embarrassing the Nigerian nation in an attempt to get at the sitting President, because of his seemingly endearing popularity before the electorate in the run-up to the presidential election in a few weeks.

    “Despite the vexatious attacks and obvious acts of frustration that the national assembly has melted out on President Buhari since he assumed office three and a half years ago, he has grown thick-skin to allow democratic peace to reign,” the group said.

    The group said it  had expected the lawmakers to be  above board on such an auspicious occasion of budget presentation by the president,  despite the provocative opposition tendencies that had become the order of day in recent times . “We do not know why this eight assembly chose to display these recalcitrant acts against a respected and disciplined icon of the nation who has tried not to meddle in the affairs of the assembly since its inception, as against what used to happen in the previous administrations, when  presidents were known to remove and change national assembly leadership at will.  Ironically, these opposition law makers are campaigning to come back in few weeks to drag us back to the days of throwing chairs and flexing muscles in the chambers.”

    The group therefore thanked President Buhari, “who in his characteristic manner, handled the situation with maturity and calmness, an indication that he is truly an elder statesman and father of the nation.”

  • Budget presentation: NANS wants NASS to apologise to Nigerians

    The National Association of Nigerian Students ( NANS ) has called on members of the National Assembly to apologise to Nigerians for their unruly behaviour during President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2019 budget presentation .

    The Public Relations Officer of NANS, Mr Azeez Adeyemi, made the call on Friday in Abeokuta.

    Adeyemi condemned the lawmakers’ behaviour, saying that it had further tarnished the external image of the country.

    He urged the lawmakers to always promote the integrity of the country, while according due respect to its leaders.

    He stressed that the legislators should jettison personal and political interests while treating matters of national interest.

    Read Also: Budget presentation: We showed our strength, says APC Reps

    “Nigerian students believe that members of the National Assembly should be role models to Nigerian youths and students by displaying worthy and enviable character.

    “It is important to place respect for the honour and integrity of our dear country above any personal or political interests.

    “We, hereby, call on the leadership of the National Assembly to, as a matter of necessity, apologise to the entire people of Nigeria over the members’ unruly conduct during the president’s budget presentation,” he said.

    The NANS spokesperson, nonetheless, urged the National Assembly members to scrutinise the 2019 appropriation bill before its passage so as to ensure the outcome was in the best interest of all Nigerians.

  • Budget presentation: We showed our strength, says APC Reps

    The caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the House of Representatives said its reaction to the booing of President Muhammadu Buhari at Wednesday’s budget presentation was spontaneous and not planned.

    The lawmakers said they were duty-bound to protect the President, having been convinced of the modest efforts he is putting in to set the country and the economy on the path of sustainable growth.

    Oluwarotimi Agunsoye (Lagos) told The Nation that countering opposition parties jeering a the President was a duty for APC members.

    He said: “We didn’t plan anything. What happened was that in the morning on arriving at the National Assembly, we noticed, having heard that PDP members were planning to disrupt the whole proceeding and embarrass the President, we knew we had to act.

    “If you noticed, we couldn’t display normal placards; we only scribbled our thoughts on whatever we were able to lay our hands on.

    “What we did was to show our strength; we showed them that we are still in the majority.

    “What got us fired up is the fact that having done so much to set the country and the economy on the path of growth and development, for reasons best known to them, they still want to bring the nation backward and they felt that to embarrass the President was the best way.

    “There is no way we are going to allow that; that was why we rose to the occasion.

    “What you saw yesterday (Wednesday) was corruption fighting back and that is sad.”

    Nnanna Igbokwe (Imo), who corroborated Agunsoye’s account, gave an insight into what transpired among the lawmakers before the arrival of Mr. President.

    He said: “I can state that the APC Caucus of the House of Representatives was unaware of the plan of the PDP Caucus to obstruct and prevent the presentation of the budget.

    “You can agree with me that if we had the slightest knowledge – we are parliamentarians, we are colleagues – we would have taken every necessary step to lobby our colleagues.

    “But I think they had a plan to create a scene like you saw and maybe as a way of making their voice to be heard to show the seriousness about the concerns they have or the issues in contention, hoping that it may give them the desired result.

    “It is unfortunate, because whatever it is, there are better approaches you may use in addressing those issues as parliamentarians and when it became obvious, within the floor, it was now sensed and that had to cause an emergency (executive) meeting to be called where the leadership of the House, the Speaker personally appealed to everybody, given the intelligence available to him that there was need for us to comport ourselves.

    “He appealed that it was  a major assignment; we have other avenues to checkmate the government or to solve the issues brought before us, and presentation does not mean approval.”

  • National Assembly workers’ strike threatens 2019 budget presentation

    NATIONAL Assembly’s workers yesterday made good their threat to begin a four-day warning strike to press home their demand for a better welfare package.

    It was, however, gathered that the workers’ action may threaten 2019 budget presentation by President Muhammadu Buhari scheduled for tomorrow.

    The workers, under the auspices of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigerian (PASAN), paralysed activities at the National Assembly by cutting off water and power supply to the assembly complex.

    They also said they would not stop Mr. President from presenting the 2019 Appropriation Bill. “The President can go in and present his budget if the place is conducive enough,” their leaders said.

    This is the second time in less than one month that the union is mobilising its members to shut down the National Assembly over pay issue.

    The aggrieved workers had two weeks ago crippled activities at the complex, stopping senators and House of Representatives’ members from sitting.

    The workers blamed the Management of the National Assembly for their plight.

    They also insisted on the immediate removal of the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori, blaming him for their woes.

    Around 10am yesterday, the union leaders forced workers on duty at the Engineering Department to cut off power supply to the complex.

    The Account Section at the annex was, however, spared with the workers allowed to do their work of preparing the next salary.

    Banks, telecommunication offices, restaurants and other supporting staff within the complex were forced to close down.

    Some of the workers were seen trekking the long way back to the car park. Those of them that sneaked into the White House were asked by the union leaders to leave in their own interest.

    The angry workers were protesting the non-implementation of the Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS) said to have been approved for them in 2010 among other demands.

    Although the union leaders said the industrial action was not a picket as no one would be stopped from accessing the National Assembly, they insisted that members of the union would not be allowed to carry out their duties.

    Addressing the protesting workers at the entrance to the White House complex, one of the leaders, Odo Chris, said that lawmakers, management staff from Grade Level 14 and above and visitors would not be prevented from accessing the complex for the duration of the strike.

    The workers gathered as  early as 6.30 am yesterday to close all entrances leading to the National Assembly complex.

    Contrary to what the leader said, non-members of the workers’ union, especially senior staff, were stopped from going into the complex.

    Odo said: “It is the members of the union that will not go to work; everybody else can go in and do whatever they want to do.

    “As a union, we don’t even have the power to stop Grade 14 officers and above from going in to perform their duties because they are not our members.

    “I am appealing to you to be careful and apply wisdom as we carry out this strike because we have a law that guides us.

    “This is not picketing, there should be no fighting, and there should be no breakdown of law and order.

    “Right now, some of us will go in and shut off electricity supply, by the time the environment becomes unbearable for those that are working, they will leave as well.

    “The President can go in and present his budget if the place is conducive enough”.

    The staff of Sergeant -at-Arm also joined the striking workers.

    But, armed security personnel, including mobile policemen, Department of State Services (DSS) operatives, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC)  are on ground to prevent breakdown of law and order, while officers of Federal Road Safety Corps ((FRSC) were seen coordinating vehicular movement.

    It was also observed that the protesting workers prevented vehicles of senior management staff, forcing them to park their vehicles outside the complex.

    The senior staff were compelled to walk more than half a kilometre into the White House.

    It was learnt that the leadership and management of the National Assembly summoned an emergency meeting to save the situation to no avail.

    No official statement came from the National Assembly management as at the time of filing this report.

    Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan (Yobe North), however, assured that the issues at stake would be resolved.

    Lawan, who spoke in his office, braved the heat of the shutdown of the complex to speak to reporters.

    He noted that the leadership of both chambers and management of the National Assembly planned an emergency meeting to find a way out of the problem.

    Lawan said: “I am not assigned by the entire leadership of the National Assembly to comment on the shutdown but an emergency meeting will be held today (yesterday) for quick and lasting solution to the crisis.”

    A source told our reporter that the leadership and management of the National Assembly had met the leadership of the workers several times.

    He said: “We are doing our part to resolve the issues at stake. The Clerk wrote the police and DSS to intimate them that the workers were bent on disrupting activities at the National Assembly

    “Yes, they have the right to down tool but they don’t have the right to prevent lawmakers and legislative aides from going into the National Assembly.

    “We suspect that external forces might have hijacked the protest to scuttle the presentation of the Appropriation Bill by Mr. President on Wednesday. That must not be allowed to happen in the interest of the country.”

    He said some of the demands of the workers have been met.

  • Reps threaten to shun Buhari’s Wednesday budget presentation

    •Lawmakers accuse minister of lying against House

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari’s plan to present the 2019 Appropriation Bill to the joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday is now shrouded in uncertainty as members of the House of Representatives have threatened to boycott the presentation.

    Buhari made known his intention through a letter dated December 12, 2018 and addressed to Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

    The Speaker read the content of the letter received yesterday on the floor.

    However, the House is yet to make a commitment to receive the President following a purported statement attributed to Minister of Budget and National Planning Udo Udoma that the budget has not been presented because the executive was waiting for the legislature to give it a date for such.

    Adamu Chika (APC, Niger), in a point of order, said the minister lied on a national television against the Parliament and demanded an apology over the statement.

    Mark Gbillah (Benue), in his contribution, backed his colleague’s assertion that Udoma made the statement categorically.

    “He lied against this honourable House on national television. I want to join my colleagues to request a formal apology on TV, else we will refuse to attend that budget session with Mr. President,” he added.

    On his part, Mike Adeniyi (Ogun), said: “The executive arm has always portrayed the parliament in bad light. The minister must come and apologise. If not, the President will come to meet an empty House.”

    To counter his colleagues, the Leader of the House Femi Gbajabiamila noted that the minister appeared to have been found guilty by his colleagues, even before being given a fair hearing.

    He said: “The minister called me this morning; he was alarmed and upset and shocked. He said he was just reading something in the papers ascribed to him and that he never said such a thing and he is writing a rejoinder as we spoke.”

    “So, I think we should tarry a while because you are accusing someone of lying. Let us not turn this House into a partisan House.”

    Muhammad Soba would have none of that excuse, accusing of Gbajabiamila of sycophancy.

    Soba said: “We have seen how sycophancy has been taken to the next level. That is the APC government for you.”

    In his ruling, the Speaker pleaded that the minister be given some time and a benefit of the doubt that the story would be denied by the minister.

    “But if we don’t see the rejoinder, then we have an issue because we will not allow this institution to be blackmailed. If nothing is done, we will take a concrete action on it,” he said.

  • APC hails Buhari’s budget presentation

    APC hails Buhari’s budget presentation

    •Oyegun: president ’ll fulfill campaign promises

    THE All Progressives Congress (APC) has  assured Nigerians that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration will actualise its promises made to the citizens during the presidential campaign, beginning with the 2016 budget.

    APC National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, who said this while reacting to the 2016 budget presentation by the President, said the administration’s pro-people policies would be implemented in the 2016 financial year.

    He said: “In fulfilment of APC’s election promises to the electorate, the party welcomes the  proposed Social Welfare Programmes contained in the proposed 2016 National Budget submitted to the National Assembly.

    “President Buhari has proposed N500 billion to pay unemployed graduates (post-NYSC grant) and feed school children, among other social welfare programmes in 2016.

    “A phased Social Welfare Programme created to cater for a larger population of the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians upon the evidence of children’s enrolment in school and evidence of immunisation has also been proposed to the National Assembly.

    “President Buhari has also promised that 500,000 new teachers would be recruited. Compared to the last 16 years of locust, Nigerians are getting a much better deal from the seven-month old APC-led administration. On the strength of these proposals, the future holds more dividends of democracy for Nigerians.

    “It is reassuring that the Federal Government has recovered huge sums from looters of our common wealth, which will be injected into the 2016 National Budget.”

    Calling for the speedy passage of the budget, Oyegun said: “As the National Assembly considers the proposed 2016 National Budget, the APC calls on members of the Senate and House of Representatives to rise above political, regional and ethnic sentiments and pass the proposed budget, which is pro-people and in the best interest of Nigeria.

    “The APC hails the cordial working relationship between the Eighth National Assembly and the executive arm of government, specifically the President.”

    Oyegun said in personally presenting the budget, Buhari has demonstrated his commitment to Nigeria’s constitutional democracy and the dictates of the rule of law and also highlighted the importance of building a smooth working relationship with the National Assembly.

    It’s a fraud, says PDP

    THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the N6.8 trillion 2016 budget presented to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari as “a big fraud and executive conspiracy tailored towards mortgaging the future of the nation”.

    The party faulted the President’s decision to borrow N2 trillion, describing it as the height of recklessness and deceit from a government that trends on propaganda.

    In a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the PDP accused the government of trying to use bogus welfare programme and phantom capital projects as cover and conduit to siphon funds to satisfy partisan interests, particularly to settle huge campaign debts.

    The statement said: “It is obvious that this budget is an extension of the campaign promises of the APC government, presented as a manifesto filled with bogus promises which implementation will be inconclusive, thereby allowing the APC to once again deny their promises.

    “There has never been any known economy in the world where government deliberately mortgages the future of its nation by borrowing excessively to finance partisan interests while hiding under bogus welfare programmes.

    “This is moreso important as the APC in reeling out its bogus campaign promises, never informed Nigerians that they would mortgage their future through excessive borrowing.”

    “We have it on good authority that this is the first in the series of APC borrowings which would leave the future generation of Nigerians under the burden of huge debts after four years”.

    The PDP said the budget clearly showed that after seven months in power, the administration cannot differentiate between governance and campaign propaganda.

  • APC knocks Fayose for ‘breach of protocol’ at budget presentation

    APC knocks Fayose for ‘breach of protocol’ at budget presentation

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticised Governor Ayo Fayose for “breach of protocol” at the presentation of the Appropriation Bill at the House of Assembly on Tuesday.

    The party condemned Fayose’s action of bringing out a gavel and symbolically “passing” the budget into law after presenting the proposal to lawmakers.

    The opposition argued that besides brandishing the gavel, Fayose’s choice of T-shirt and jeans instead of an official full native attire or English wear diminished the office he occupies.

    The APC, in a statement yesterday by Publicity Secretary Taiwo Olatunbosun, said it was regrettable that the lawmakers allowed the governor to get away with the breach of official protocol, which undermined the Assembly’s integrity.

    Olatunbosun said:”The world watched in disbelief as Fayose stormed the House of Assembly in casual dress.

    “The governor’s appearance is uncultured and in flagrant disregard of the rule of law and constituted authority. It defies decorum, violates law and order and abuses power

    “More shocks came when the governor grabbed the gavel and started conducting a mock sitting.

    “The worst was the quality of English by the governor who said: ‘those who doesn’t support the quick passage of the budget should say ‘Aye’ or ‘Nay’, to which both gallery and members hooted ‘Aye’.

    Berating the lawmakers for allowing the executive to undermine the established protocol of the Assembly and put the state in ridicule by allowing the governor to use the gavel as well as appearing in casual wear, Olatunbosun said members’ conduct demonstrated the confirmation of their subservient relationship with the governor in clear breach of the constitution.