CD challenges Saraki to publish NASS budget

The President of the Nigerian Senate, Bukola Saraki, has been taken to task by a group, Campaign for Democracy, CD, over his promise that the National Assembly will make a full disclosure of its budget.

 

The group, on Monday, asked the Senate President to honour the promise he made to Nigerians over two months ago.

 

CD’s President, Ifeanyi Odili, stated this in Abuja, adding that the Senate President should not take Nigerians for a ride by reneging on his earlier pledge to make the fiscal document of the federal parliament open for all to see.

 

He said: “He (Saraki), made this promise two months ago when the national budget was still hanging. We expect him as a gentleman, to live up to his promise since the President, Muhammadu Buhari has signed into law, the 2016 budget.

 

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“It would be fraudulent on the part of the National Assembly not to give the breakdown of its annual budget if the presidency could give a breakdown of its annual budget for the Presidential Villa.

 

“We view such action as the height of indiscipline, lawlessness and legislative rascality for  the federal legislature not to give its own break down.

 

“What the National Assembly should have at the back of its mind is that the money appropriated to the National Assembly, is our commonwealth and they owe it as a duty to be accountable to the real owners of this money.

 

According to CD, the National Assembly cannot afford to behave as if it a sacred cow in the current campaigns against corruption, as it is not above query.

 

The group also said since President Buhari has signed the 2016 budget into law, it becomes a matter of national interest for the senate president to live up to its promise that he was going to give details of this year’s budget.

 

“Failure which he will be tagged “apostle of corruption and indiscipline. He should begin to see that accountability and responsiveness have become the order of the day,” the group said.

 

 

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