Buhari’s budget fails integrity test, says Senate
Crisis may delay passage
AN alleged discovery of strange projects in the second version of the budget 2016 document brought by the presidency to the National Assembly was responsible for its rejection, the Senate declared yesterday.
The Senate Majority Leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume, who briefed journalists at the National Assembly, disclosed that the second budget document failed a series of integrity tests carried out on it by the Senate.
He confirmed that the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, would today unveil the contents of a letter sent to the upper legislative chamber by President Muhammadu Buhari. But Ndume refused to disclose the letter’s content.
The Senate last Thursday rejected the replacement of the original version submitted to it by Buhari.
Saraki, who announced the decision of the Senate to reject the second version of the budget, had said: “We have received the report of the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions on investigations surrounding 2016 Appropriation Bill. Our finding is that the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate) Senator Ita Enang, printed copies of the 2016 Appropriation Bill and brought to the Senate.
“We have discovered that what he brought is different from the version presented by Mr. President. We have resolved to consider only the version presented by Mr. President as soon as we receive a soft copy of the original document from the Executive,” he added.
But providing further details on how the second budget document contradicted the original one, Ndume said that the few copies of the budget proposal document earlier submitted to the Senate were thoroughly compared with the copies that were later brought by the presidency and it was discovered that there were differences.
He explained that some projects which were not included in the budget document before were smuggled in to cater for certain hidden interests.
“What we tried to do was to make a comparative analysis. The difference is not in the sub-total or sectorial allocation. The Senate did integrity check and found out that in some cases a certain amount of money was allocated to do two projects and because of integrity check, they found out that more projects were included in what that amount was voted for initially.
“But what I can tell you now is that on the budget that was submitted originally, there were certain integrity checks on it that made some changes in the quantity of projects but not in the total amount of money voted.”
He continued: “As at present, there are two documents and they are before the Senate. We are telling you now that we are taking the first one; we left the second one because we think it’s not good for Nigeria.”
Ndume lamented that the crisis generated by the fake budget issue might delay the Senate’s plan to get the budget passed before the end of February.
“We were targeting end of February to round off on the budget if not for this mix up. However, we are still committed to turning out the budget on time.”
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37 Comments
Do Buhari plan to use the budget money to build Mosques for his misguided brothers; Boko Haram boys?
I want to believe that the adjustments in the quantity of items budgeted has to do with increasing the purchase of arms to effectively deal with the Ibo agits. We need the additional arms to crush the mischievous, mislead and ill-informed miscreants.
Ekweremadu should resign.
Having fleeced Nigeria of N1.3 trillion Naira between 2006-2013, and having lost the majority in the senate in 2015, PDP has no credibility to be in the deputy senate president position or to be talking about integrity.
Not to talk about Dasukigate
PDP needs to focus on handing over to a completely new leadership, clear their Augean stable and start working towards rebuilding the trust of the masses.
You’re an idiot. You have Buharigate or Budgetgate in front of you but your fixation on unrelated externalities and on the DSP makes you sound like an irritated jerk. Change your ways
@judipo, must you call people names before you made comment, you also need to “change your ways” good day.
It is not his fault, it is Buhari’s fault, if Buhari is doing the right things, people will not complain
It is regrettable that you are still loaded with the sentiments of election era to the extent of not knowing that Ekweremadu and the rest of senate members are working for for the progress of this nation -Nigeria. Integrity is one of the key principles that will keep Buhari’s government in sound health for the common good of Nigeria.
This is not about election time politics. Integrity should be a constant and ongoing affair. But the leadership of the Nigerian senate has very serious credibility problems
On the 29th of May, 2015, after 16 years in PDP’s wilderness, the long suffering masses got the change that they worked so hard for. Part of that social contract was that starting then – 29th of May, 2015 – business will be conducted differently in Nigeria
But our oppressors did not get the memo.
Someone forged the 2015 standing rules of the senate, in what the Nigerian police has described as “criminal, but portends danger for our growing democracy”
The beneficiaries of this forgery are our Senate President, Olusola Saraki and our Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu. If we sweep, the fact that our N1.4 trillion was looted by 55 Nigerians between 2006 – 2013, under the carpet, without an investigation or even a comment, from the Nigerian senate. Must we also sweep the fact that, after we voted for change, some idiot(s) forged our 2015 standing rules of the senate
Ekweremadu and Saraki still have a case to answer on this issue. Until they clear their names in this sordid affair, Nigerians will look at anything they do in the senate as an attempt to obfuscate their legal problems.
That is another reason why, in the interest of the integrity of the senate, resignation of the people fingered that mess, including Ekweremadu, is the appropriate thing to do
Be wise and stop ranting nonsense like fools do
Oga John Paul or Pope Francis or what do you call yourself. I’m ashamed that you can still respond to any criticism directed towards you. I will advice you follow Chukwu Michael’s advice. It will be an immense help to you.
The incident of the bungled or doctored budget is the talking point here. It’s about Buhari’s presidency and integrity issues. For God’s sake,listen and may be,learn a thing or two.
I am compelled to say that you are a destitute of wisdom. You have nothing in your head. Can you imagine your nullity? Can you see how null and void you are? Can you see the level of your self embarrassment? Just see your emptiness and naivety? What is the value of your comment to the article above? The report spoke of the certain discrepancies in the budget and you are calling for Ekweremadu’s resignation as if that is the reason for the attempted fraud and robbery by the Presidency. Why not save yourself this embarrassment and use your little brain for something better for your self so that you can actually develop? Just take time and read responses from reasonable people to your comment and see how and why you should bow your head in shame.
oh dear.. pls take it easy on him. lol
Thank you sir. The man should be careful with me.
Very funny….and you forget that most of the people you call APC change agents now were major actors/beneficiaries in the PDP 16 years including Saraki
Rubish, Go back to school. 90% of APC were PDP including Obasanjo their ship navigator who ruled for 8 yrs. You idiot wanted to divert the attention of the readers by not addressing the issue at stake and all you can remember is Enweremadu. You haters of NDIGBO WILL DIE A SHAMEFUL DATE
Whoever adjusted the items in the budget without recourse to due process has embarrassed the Presidency and should be sanctioned. However, inclusion of additional items under the subheads doesn’t necessarily means there was intention to mislead the law makers because the budget document is yet to be considered and approved. Moreover, the total amounts allocated were not altered. Whichever way, it is not helpful to the Presidency. It’s embarrassing.
The document/s you have is not yet called Budget. They are budget proposals and can be amended several times. It is only called Nigerian budget when it has been passed into Law. I do not understand all these noise all about. There was a time in this Country when the Senate passed a Law on Elections and was sent the President Obasonjo to sign and it was discovered that Pius Anyim and the President tampered with the document that has been passed into Law nothing happened.
Well said and understood. My grudge is not whether it is a budget proposal or budget. What I feel wasn’t proper was for the document to be altered without informing the law makers at the appropriate time until they discovered it by themselves. At least, courtesy demands that the law makers should know in advance that there are changes in the document, especially that we know the type of law makers that we have and their relationship with executive arm.
This is a PDP run senate. Saraki is a camouflag. Until APC takes a bold reclaim of Senate, we will be in this PDP shroud. The senate is the last PDP stronghold and it is a shame that APC cant just get this. How has the defectors (led by Saraki) hijacked APC?
If the not the presence of PDP in the Senate, this intended fraud by the Presidency would never have been discovered. Nigerians should be grateful for PDP. Who would have believed that a man and his regime that have been chasing people up and down in the name of fighting corruption could become a salient victim of corrupt practice and white collar crime? Can this adjustment be justified? Agreed there could be need for adjustment, should that be done secretly? Very good their own man Ali Ndume, that Grand Father of Boko Haram said there is a bad intent which is detrimental to Nigerians in the second version criminally smuggled in, so this is a crime which upon conviction , the President is reliable for impeachment. Further to your submission that APC should reclaim the Senate, this now shows your limited understanding of democratic settings. There is no Law stating that The Senate President or the DSP must be from the ruling party. If there is, let APC go to court and reclaim the DSP seat, till this is done, Ekweremadu of PDP remains the DSP. QED.
It is a shame we do not concentrate on those things that matters, rather, we waste time on the non-issues. The senate claim to have lost the document and at the same time they are comparing it with the new one. How? House of Reps claimed the document was not missing! So who do we believe.
Let worthy legislation be passed into law instead of power tussle and blacklisting.
The APC government has started on a wrong footing with the budget failing integrity test. This is not good for a government that has integrity as it’s change mantra. With the revelation of doctored figure in the budget provision coming out from the Senate, the popularity rating of the President and his APC party is already on the decline. Until this budget mix-up is properly managed, the government is in for sustained bashing, when debate on same resumes at the NASS.
People of Nigeria, the budget from President Integrity cannot conceivably FAIL integrity test. And the test was conducted by Senate whose majority is APC, the platform of Integrity! This statement is rubbish! I was reliably told ( by some one who does not want his name in social media) that Ali Ndume is actually a Jonathan mole in APC! That is why he is making this kind don jazzy statement to rubbish the anti-corruption war. Infact, he alone stole the 1.34trn Alhaji of Lie; sorry Lai said was allegedly stolen by the 55 musketeers.
PDP, that bastion of everything corruption is in this too. They sabotaged the printing of the correct edition of the 2-edition budget by distributing the money meant for the printing to GEJ and entourage to collect useless Martin Luther Award in USA! Amadioha,Sango and other fiery gods of the land will strike them for shamelessly trying to derail the investigation of Dasukigate, Buharigate, Emefielegate and Sanusigate and recovering of our money from Jafaru and co. And before I go, please, Ndume, I order you in the name of DSS, EFCC, ICPC and PMB to resign from the Senate with immediate alacrity! You in the NASS lack integrity, how dare you say the President’s 2nd budget failed INTEGRITY test?
@Ebaah Odibo,you are just ranting, after taking much of ebaah(gari) your mouthis filled with rubish
Tell him that ebaah harbours lassa fever. He may be running fever.
What’s this man talking?
When elders talk with the oil with which words are eaten, and a child fails to understand, the mother’s bride price risks being refunded. A child who sits regularly in the obi with his father does not mistake aki ilu for oji.
Mumu
By DSS, you mean the Daura Security Service, or Dambazzu Shoe Shiner?
Great job, Senate.
I knew there was something fishy. I am glad that they did a thorough job and discovered what was added.
“Detailed” is the word.
Nigeria is loosing Trillions of Naira daily because of poor management of our economy by illiterate Buhari who is busy fighting corruption with 90% percent of his time, fighting corruption at loss with billions of naira which can only bring in few billions. Somebody should call Buhari to order, many Nigerians are suffering because of poor management of our economy, people will be more happier if our economy is well managed than fighting corruption with 90% time which can not put food on the table for Nigeria masses.
PDP should be disbanded as a Party, and Buhari lawless government should be overthrown by a patriotic army, and Nigeria should disintegrate and each region or regions should reconstitute a new nation. Nigeria is as well as finished.
After discovering there would no longer be any spending sprees by the NA, so, blackmails are the only available option for the members. Budget is simply representations of government’s activities in written form on paper. The NA is not under any compulsion to approve all that is in the budget. So, what is the noise all about?
9ja my people…..some projects which were not included in the budget document before were smuggled in to cater for certain hidden interests…hullabaloo “MISSING BUDGET”, “AMENDED BUDGET” still FAILS INTEGRITY TEST! Government can’t be run on pages of newspaper or propaganda…First budget of APC led government in muddy water! Prepared to win election but not prepared to govern Nigeria. APC needs to go back to the drawing board!!!
Could it be that GEJ stole the budget? Buhari, beware, there is limit to impunity.
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Why is Senator Ita Enang not arrested for this crime ? Why are there 2 different budgets? This is unheard of. Never in Nigeria History has this ever happened. And yet, they say they are agents of change? Why has the senate not commenced impeachment proceedings on Buhari? This is Nigeria and not his farm. This is Corruption in the highest order. Buhari should be summoned by the house to explain the variation otherwise he should be impeached and arrested. Or is this not a crime? Nigerian senators wake up. We are counting on you to do the right thing and move the nation forward. Apc is a party built and nourished with lies. They have displayed their character here again. Liar Mohammend would soon come out to say again that it was GEJ that stole the first budget and is causing the discrepancy. All Hail Apc, All hail Lucifer. party of liars and fraud.
We will review and take appropriate action.