Saraki to Osinbajo: No ambiguity in N/Assembly role on budget

Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday replied Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on the power of the National Assembly on budget, saying there is no ambiguity in the Constitution on the matter.

Saraki made the remark yesterday during plenary, when the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah (APC, Kebbi) raised a point of order on Osinbajo’s statement that the National Assembly has no power to insert projects in the budget.

Osinbajo had on Tuesday at Banquet Hall of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa said the National Assembly has no right to introduce new projects or modify those contained in an appropriation bill.

Saraki while expressing doubt that the acting president made the statement said Osinbajo might not have questioned the powers of the National Assembly on budget amendment.

“The point of order raised by the Deputy Minority Leader is very important. I too have the experience of having a couple of our colleagues coming to us on the budget of 2017. I am sure that the acting president must have been misquoted because there is no ambiguity in the Constitution on our responsibilities. The matter has been cleared and settled,” he said.

Na’Allah had while raising the point of order said section 80 of the 1999 Constitution, which gives the power and control of the Appropriation to the National Assembly was explicit.