Senate clears National Assembly of budget padding
• Upper chamber says it can’t impeach Buhari alone
• Reps deputy whip faults allegation
• I’ve been vindicated, says Obasanjo
Protesting its innocence, the Senate yesterday declared that it could not have been complicit in the alleged padding of the N6.06 trillion 2016 budget by the House of Representatives when the National Assembly is the authority statutorily empowered to produce the nation’s fiscal plan.
Senate Majority Leader, Ali Ndume who made the assertion at a press conference in Abuja, also said the Senate cannot impeach the president because impeachment is not a one- man-show as the procedure will involve both chambers of the National Assembly and the Judiciary.
Also, the Deputy Chief Whip, House of Representatives, Pally Iriase yesterday faulted the allegation by the former chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumuni Jubrin that lawmakers actually padded the 2016 budget, saying Jubrin wanted to paint the house in bad light to save his face from the “economic murder he had wanted to perpetrate.”
But Jubrin seems to have found an ally in former president Olusegun Obasanjo who told State House Correspondents after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa that he has been vindicated by the fresh allegations of budget padding against two key actors in the House of Representatives.
Ndume who promised that the Senate might intervene in the crisis bedeviling the lower chamber said: “I don’t want to say that there was budget padding and I don’t want to talk about something I really don’t know but what is happening in the House of Representatives is just very unfortunate because we have processes and procedure of doing things in the National Assembly.
“If somebody has an issue he knows what to do, he is not supposed to be going to the press about it in such a manner.
“There is nothing like budget padding. If it is the National Assembly that works on the budget, then you don’t call it padding because padding is like an illegality.
But if there are certain abnormalities in the budget, I think they know the right thing to do. If Jibrin is aggrieved he writes a petition or whatever and that should be referred to Ethics and Privileges who can investigate,” he said.
On the alleged impeachment plot against the president, Ndume said: “The impeachment process is a National Assembly matter not just the Senate’s. Senate cannot impeach the president, it is the National Assembly that can impeach the president.
“It is a long, tedious process and in this country, we don’t even need that, we are not even contemplating it and even if anybody does, it is not going to work because this is an All Progressives Congress (APC).
“We have 58 to 60 senators and you need 72 senators to start off an impeachment process. Where are they going to get the 24?” he asked.
Speaking to journalists in Benin City, Iriase urged Nigerians to disregard Jubrin’s insinuations, saying it was a deliberate ploy to cast aspersions on the integrity of members of the house.
Iriase who represents Owan Federal Constituency said: “Jubrin should not be taken seriously. You know me, if you remove integrity from me, I am a nobody and I pride myself on integrity. I could easily fold my hands and say he never mentioned me among the so-called culprits. But as a Christian I feel so bad when innocent, decent, honest people are being vilified by somebody who is the antithesis of what they are.”
Obasanjo who arrived at the State House clad in a blue attire with a black Yoruba cap to match, was driven in a black Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) with a registration number ABJ 425 PY, accompanied by some aides, including one of his daughters at 12:54 p.m. He left at 2:15 p.m.
On the exchanges concerning the allegation of budget padding between the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and Jubrin, Obasanjo said his position had been confirmed.
The former president had written to the leadership of the National Assembly, alleging corruption among members.
Obasanjo’s words: “If you say I said it in the past and there were people who didn’t believe me, now see what has happened.”
Asked if there was the need for an investigation into the allegation of budget padding, the former president said: “It is not a question of investigation, we should get men and women of integrity in the place, and the president should be very vigilant so that whatever should not pass should not be allowed to do so.”
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12 Comments
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It is not acceptable for Senator Iriase to ask Nigerians to ignore such revelations which he claimed to be out of grievances of Reps Jubrin. Did he forgot the note on which they started this feud? They alleged only Reps Jubrin to be a paddler but he’s pointing to the House of Reps leadership as a whole to be involved, and its the entire house that were aggrieved in the first place on the manner Rep Jubrin handled the issue of the budget which gives room for illegality in the first place, instead he should ask for serious probing and prosecution to curtail such acts.
There is no smoke without fire. Our lawmakers must give reasons for Nigerians to have confidence in them. The multimillion Naira vehicles purchased by our lawmakers, the so called constituency allowances meant for jobs that can not be seen are enough for Nigerians to belief padding of the budget. Most government workers have not been paid for months, our hospitals are not responsive to medical needs simply because they are not well equipped, not to talk of bad roads and epileptic supply of electricity are yet to be attended. Our lawmakers should justify their positions as representatives of the common man. God, pls help this nation and deliver us from our insensitive leaders. Amen
which way nigerian am expecting efcc to do their work before this issue turn to family issue or yeye committee to closed the case off its only in our national assembly corruption is family issue how can a criminal investigate himself am sick and tired of our system
Senate clears National Assembly of budget padding : this amounts to insulting Nigerian and confidently saying so to their faces. It has gotten to a stage where the docility of Nigerians is coming back to haunt them.
The Senate will do Nigerians a huge favor by telling them what businesses the likes of Dino Melaye engages to explain his reckless lifestyle; or Senator David Marks stupendous wealth in and out of the country.
This matter of budget padding predates Abdulmumin vs Dogara episode. It has been business as usual in the NASS: thus explaining why Bukola Saraki will stop at nothing to sit tight on his fraudulently acquired post of the Senate President. It also explains why David Mark will for the first time roll up his sleeves and get actively involved in his re-election bid as against the usual settlement techniques deployed in previous years.
It is instructive to mention that the time is now for Nigerians to take their destinies in their hands to liberate themselves from these vampires in human clothing.
All officer named in the scandal will do the nation a favor by stepping aside to allow for an independent investigation to establish the existence and the depth of the allegations.
ICPC and EFCC do not need to wait for a marching order before going into NASS to ascertain the veracity of the allegation.
Until then, we wait
Nigerians are good actors. What is playing out in the House of Representatives is one of the movies we are going to watch in the coming days. Mr. Jubrin cannot be serious. Why did he have to wait, until he had lost his chairmanship of the Appropriation Committee, before shouting? All he wants is to curry favor, and distract the National Assembly from performing its role of law making. Jubrin is not ripe for politics, and his party should take note.
Baba’s comment on the corruption in the National Assembly should not be taken seriously. He had the EFCC, very powerful under Ribadu, and could do nothing. Is he telling ordinary Nigerians to catch the corrupt lawmakers or is he telling PMB to wage the war now? Or was he afraid of some Nigerians that he considered untouchable? A+ for PMB in the fight against corruption. And admission of failure by Obj.
Ukaegbu…
A Big shame on you..
Go and bury your face.
Exactly what are you saying now ? It is because of people like you that Nigeria has gotten to this pitiful and decayed state.
HOw can you ask us to ignore this revelation..? Ignore this this talk..
people are crying and want investigation to start…and you are here saying we should ignore the cry.
Ignore and do what..?? Ignore and remain in our present predicament.
Ukaegbu you are very insensitive.
Are you happy that we are like this ? How are your parents state..? your uncles..brothers..nephews..
people have no hope…the things that happen irrespective of how it evolved..that can help us bring out these evil people, ..make tighter laws and invoke spotlight on activities of the NASS and SENATE..
and instead of embarrassing and lending voice to a possible Tsunami to halt evil in this land and non development..
you are here justifying a bigot view of ” stoping the assembly from performing its role”..what ROLE..?
like asking for immunity for her members.?.demanding cars worth N40 million for each of them..? crediting each member of the budgetary committees account with close to N3 Billion each..? allowing the country to RUN in darkness while all her neighbours in WEST AFRICAS COAST have uninterrupted power supply..?
allowing income of people to be pegged at N18,000 per month..while their salaries runs to Millions in the hundreds..
allowing people work as slaves and contract staffs for years without compensation without laws to check unfair labour practises against her citizenries..???
Ukaegbwu..fight for your children..fight for your generation…fight for a hope for others we will leave behind and generations to come in this country..before it is too late.
I am really ashamed of people like you…with your type..NIGERIA has NO HOPE .
Thank you my dear Mr. Esoro for your wonderful condemnation of my contribution to the unfolding drama in the National Assembly in respect of budget padding. Notice that Mr Jibrin waited until he lost his chairmanship of the House Appropriation committee before opening up on his allegation. No matter how viewed, it is an allegation until proven otherwise. We are good at media or jungle justice; and that your write up has thrown up. It might interest you to note that the situation in the land may not be due to the allegation, but due to other actions or in actions of people not connected with budget passage. For saints like you, I plead for caution. The judiciary has some job on their hands, and it is only when they are through that we can raise the sledge hammer against the accused/convict.
Finally, let me restate my commitment to transparency in governance, but I believe due process must be followed in administering justice, as an accused is deemed innocent until proved otherwise by a court of competent jurisdiction, and not by mob action.
Good day Ukaegbu..
i must admit..i admire your truthfully mature and composed response..
apologies if i was a bit harsh.
But understand my pain..i want my country to be good..correct..work well..let us be a Nation.
Its painful the rest of the world is moving ahead..and we are still backward in relative terms ( 100 years ) ago.
This is kind of things that happen in pre technology era..
why is a Giant like Nigeria still in darkness and no hope for her citizenries that are not mega rich ?
No country can survive or progress like that..
Our leaders made it a duty to keep us in poverty.by denying us essence of life from our God given gift and abundance.
Nigerias per capital income ought to be an envy at least in Africa
but No…we are amongst the worst…
we will not condemn until proven guilty..but we will not ignore the accused on a serious issue like this.
Ukaegbu..you know this wicked act exists…let us fish out those that decide to take the future hope of the generations yet born into their personal pockets without consience.
God will help us…this administration is a breath of fresh air…Nigeria will come out of this rubbles and become great…
Corruption has ruined us….Its time to behead Corruption as many times and forms we identify it.
lets hang on.
Thanks and God bless Nigeria
Thank you
The proper news flash should be: national assembly clears national assembly of budget padding. Lets call a spade a spade or else our judges will continue to regard corruption as misappropriation,misapplication, misuse or anything but corruption. As for this buccaneering assembly they will continue to constitute an anathema to this democracy as long as the people are complacent. That lawmakers brazenly engage in outrageous extra constitutional appropriations called constituency projects is sign that this system is degenerating fast into democrazy and there are leagues of demons to exorcize before this demoncracy regains its presence of mind again
Who would the fly support?is it not the man with the open sore? Birds of the same feather—-
If every criminal in Nigeria is allowed to judge themselves, then the jails will be empty. Misters Senators, the whole Nigeria hereby found you guilty of stealing the national budget and sharing N120billion silently among yourselves.
We will review and take appropriate action.