The Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Dino Melaye, has urge president Muhammadu Buhari refrain from playing to the gallery and milking the naivety of the masses on the issue of budget
“Mr. President should halt his chicanery and smear campaign of the National Assembly.”
Melaye in a one page paper obtained by National Insight said The National Assembly is not just expected to rubber stamp whatever Bill the President presents . If this was the norm then there would have been no need for the Constitution to direct that the Bill be submitted to the N/A in the first place
According to him,” I notice that PMB is trying to whip up sentiments against the National Assembly again by alleging that the 2018 budget was padded, What the President is authorised to do constitutionally is to present the National Assembly with a bill. A bill is a work in progress and not the finished work. The reason the Constitution directs the Bill to be submitted to the N/A is that it expects the N/A to vet it and make inputs into such a Bill before passing it as the Appropriation Act.”
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“In any event, he reserves the prerogative of refusing to append his signature to the Bill passed if it meets with his displeasure. He is also free to return the Bill to the N/A unsigned with a note indicating his areas of disaffection.”
“I also ask, in the last three years of this administration: What has been the percentage of implementation of capital budget?
The powers and authority of the National Assembly can not be eroded by the presidency.” He queried
