BUDGET FIGHT: Learn to talk like a lawmaker, Fashola tells Sen Goje

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has chided Senator Danjuma Goje, saying the former governor does not speak like one who is a lawmaker.

Fashola, who expressed worries over Senate Appropriations Committee chairman’s choice of words and utterances, was reacting to the warning the Senate gave him on Tueday during its plenary.

The Senate had following a point of order raised by Goje, warned Fashola to desist from attacking the National Assembly.

It also cautioned him that the National Assembly is not Lagos State House of Assembly and must not be treated as such.

But reacting in a statement he signed himself and released on Thursday, Fashola hit back at Senator Goje, describing his utterances and choice of words as “unparliamentary and therefore not deserving of a reply.”

He however said that he was responding to the matter for the sake of refocusing attention to the issues at stake.

He said, “In this context, it is left for Nigerians to then decide whether budgeting for constituency roads is more patriotic than budgeting to complete the Kano-Maiduguri Road that connects five states, the Lagos-Ibadan Road that connects three states and helps to move food, imported goods and fuel across the country; or the second Niger Bridge that connects the South-East and the South-West geopolitical zones of at least 11 states together.

He said, “I will also leave Nigerians to judge whether it is more patriotic to budget for the Mambilla Power Project that will contribute to more power supply across Nigeria or reduce the budget to build street lights in legislative constituencies.”

According to the minister, the response to the issues he raised should not have been viewed as accusations, blackmailing the legislature or referring to those who shared his views as his “surrogates.”

Saying that the parliament is a House where very vigorous debates about development should take place, he called on Goje to try and get the temperament for such debate and disagreement.

Read also : Mind yourself! Don’t treat us like Lagos Assembly, Senate warns Fashola

“Let me reiterate that I see parliament as a house where very vigorous debates about development should take place and it is important for Goje to acquire the temperament of debate and disagreement,” he said.

He frowned at Goje’s comment that he should learn how to “behave” like a “minister” and the reference to the Senate awaiting how he would be “handled” by the House of Representatives.

The issues involving Fashola and the lawmakers followed the handling of his ministry’s budget by the National Assembly. He had a week ago tongue-lashed them for cutting down the money meant for some infrastructural projects under his ministry and described the legislators as having stark and worrisome understanding of budgetary process.

He has been summoned by Reps members to explain himself.

 

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