Buhari furious as more alteration uncovered in budget

President Muhamadu Buhari is said to be furious, and has vowed to deal with those involved in with more infractions to the 2016 budget that have been unearthed by the presidency.

Reports say the presidents anger stems from the realisation that the paddings which have been included in the budget are not what his administration has earmarked, to deliver to the citizenry.

This is as indications emerged Monday that the presidency has opened formal talks with the leadership of the National Assembly, to find a solution to the budget impasse.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said that there were efforts to reach a consensus on the issue, and that the outcome of the meeting between both bodies would determine the president’s next line of
action.

According to him, “It is when we reach a common ground that we will then know the next line of action. For now, the presidency is still talking with them”.

It was discovered that apart from the Calabar-Lagos Railway Project, which had attracted so much controversy, the National Assembly also removed other key national infrastructure projects, while drastically reducing the votes earmarked for others.

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Meanwhile, there is anger among lawmakers following complaints that only a handful of members in the Appropriation Committees orchestrated the noticeable infractions in the budget without the knowledge of others.

A source close to the Senate President’s office revealed that Sen. Bukola Saraki was seeking out a way to pacify senators from the south south part of the country who are angry over the issues around the Calabar-Lagos rail project from the budget.

It was gathered that the move to pacify them warranted a between Saraki, and the Southern senators in his office, last week, with the Chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Danjuma Goje, APC, Gombe Central, and some members of the committee.

It was resolved at the meeting that there was need to look at the areas of concern since the Calabar-Lagos railway, if accommodated in the budget, would be beneficial to the cities and towns the proposed project would have its routes.

It was also gathered that it was resolved at the meeting that the committee on appropriation would give the project
accelerated passage if it is presented by the executive in a supplementary budget.

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