The Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of misleading Nigerians on the crisis dogging the 2016 Budget. Rather than assent to the budget sent to him on Thursday, President Buhari returned it to the National Assembly, claiming that it removed some critical parts of the document, including the Lagos-Calabar Railway line project.
According to Jibrin, who took to his Twitter handle on Sunday, “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?”
He also tweeted: “I actually find it shocking that even some National Dailies made the removal their headlines. A little research would have helped”.
“All they, and those spreading the false information needed to have done is check the initial document sent by the Executive”.
“The NASS has always been on the receiving end of bad press. This is being capitalised on in the conversations on #Budget2016”
“This is unfortunate as it is quite clear to all and sundry that #Budget2016 and all its headaches and controversies didn’t emanate from NASS.”
He challenged President Buhari on his method of approach on the Budget, saying that the fact that the Executive wants to favour a top-down approach does not give enough reason to mislead Nigerians on the role of NASS over the Budget. (News Express)