We will never put our self into the position of Antagonism to the All Progressives
Congress, APC-led administration by overriding a
veto on this year's budget, the Speaker,
Dogara said yesterday.
Dogara said this, just as he
questioned
constitutional stipulations reserving the
preparation of the budget with the executive arm
of government.
Speaking when he received a delegation of APC
elders and stakeholders from Kwande/Oshongo
federal constituency of Benue State in the
National Assembly, Dogara said no matter the
level of provocation from some persons, the
executive and the parliament will not have any
fight over their differences arising from the 2016
budget as passed by the National Assembly.
He said the National Assembly and the Executive
would likely resolve issues surrounding the 2016
budget this week.
Noting issues arising from passage of the 2016
budget, he said: “But in this situation we are not
there, even there are discussions and people
instigating a fight. We know that as leaders, our
responsibility is not to fight. It is one government
and this government will take the active
collaboration of the judiciary, legislature and the
executive to be able to deliver on the mandate.
Dogara said: “We cannot form an opposition
within the same government. The executive
cannot constitute itself into an opposition within
the system in the same government, neither can
the parliament, even though it is a bipartisan
one.”
“We know our people cannot wait forever for the
budget and as a responsible government, we
cannot afford to go and sleep on this.
“As we speak to you, I know that the executive
has sent their observations on the budget, areas
they termed “grey areas”. We have taken delivery
of that document, we are looking into it and in
collaboration with the senate, the entire National
Assembly, we have arrived at a decision which I
will not announce here because that one is for
the ears of the President only.
“It is in the overall national interest, we know
that we have to find a solution and sooner than
later, within this week, I believe that as leaders,
having put on our thinking caps, we should be
able to come up with a solution that will address
this problem.”
The Speaker, according to a statement by his
Special Adviser, Media and Public Affairs, Turaki
Hassan, said the National Assembly was well
within its powers to make amendments to the
budget before passing it because the role of the
executive stopped at providing estimates to the
legislature which prepares it into an
Appropriation law.''
Dogara said, “the truth is that even though it is
the responsibility of the parliament,
constitutionally speaking, to prepare the budget,
because I haven’t seen any region anywhere in
the world where the executive does that, the
constitution recognizes that the executive will
prepare the estimates and revenues and present
it before parliament.
“Then, the parliament, in exercise of its duties,
will make appropriation in a document called
budget. Budget is always a law, it is not a policy
statement and there is no government arm, no
institution of government that can make laws
except the National Assembly.
“And we have exercised that constitutional right
and privilege which is exclusively reserved for
the National Assembly using the document that
is before the president. And as we all know, a
law requires the assent of the president, that is
one of the instrumentalities of checks and
balances that democracy guarantees.
“If it is not assented to after some time then the
parliament can summon the courage if they can
to say they are overriding the veto powers of the
president or say the bill will have to commence
de novo.
The speaker also gave the assurance that the
present administration was committed to keeping
up with its electoral promises, especially through
the instrument of the budget, while urging the
citizens to collaborate with the government to
make it a success.
He said, “I know that we promised too much and
the question on the lips of many Nigerians,
including some of us who really fought for
change is, where is the change?
“When we made that promise, we knew that
change is constant, but if you want positive
change, it has to be a guided one and it just
doesn’t come easily.
“But one thing I know in this narrative, no matter
how negative they are, is that you can’t just look
at the people who are in charge now in the eyes
and say they are some sort of jokers or people
who don’t mean what they promised. I can
assure that all hands are still on deck to ensure
that all that was promised is delivered to the
people of Nigeria.”
Dogara also expressed his condolence to the
government and people of Benue State over the
“very sad and incessant incursion” into some of
their communities, especially Agatu, while adding
that though it has been subject of many motions
on the floor of the House, he was happy to note
that the government had started doing something
about that.
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