Buhari, Osinbajo aides differ on who’ll sign 2017 budget

The confusion in the executive arm of government over who, between ailing President Muhammadu Buhari and Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, will sign the 2107 budget into law continues as aides to both leaders differ on the subject.

While the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to President Buhari on National Assembly Matters, Mr Ita Enang, held that Buhari will assent to the 2017 budget, the spokesman to Acting President Osinbajo, Laolu Akande, contended that Osinbajo will assent to the budget.

This is coming as the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, was quoted to have said on Wednesday that the Executive arm of government will take the decision on who signs the budget “when it is transmitted to the Presidency.”

Mohammed however denied saying any such thing. In a statement by his Special Adviser, Segun Adeyemi, in response to the claim, Mohammed said that when the question on budget was thrown at him by the State House correspondent, he only said, “When it is transmitted to the Presidency, the issue will be addressed.”

However, in an interview on Channels Television on Wednesday, Enang said no one but President Buhari will assent to the 2017 budget.

Enang went further to explain that President Buhari will sign the budget and then transmit it to the acting president for other formalities to take place.

He said, “The President will assent to the budget, the acting President is in office and when the budget is transmitted, it will go through the processes and all those other questions will answer itself.”

Read also: It’s a lie, I never said FG doesn’t know who’ll sign 2017 budget, Minister Lai cries out

In its reaction to the ensuing controversies over who signs the 2017 budget into law, the Office of the Acting President, late Wednesday affirmed that it would be assented into law by Osinbajo when and if the Acting President expresses satisfaction with the bill.

Akande, who stated this in a tweet message said “Just so we are clear: when the time comes, everything is set and he is satisfied, Ag. President Yemi Osinbajo will assent to the 2017 budget.”

 

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