Indications that the 2016 budget might soon be passed has surfaced after the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday night met with the leadership of the National Assembly led by the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The brief closed door meeting which was held between 9:20pm and 9:30pm at the First Lady’s Conference Room had the Vice president, Yemi Osinbajo present.
Also present at the meeting were the Speaker of the House of Representative, Yaubu Dogara, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yusuf Lasun.
The meeting also had in attendance the Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio; House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila; The Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari; Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma; the Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang; and the Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives), Samaila Kawu and other leaders of the National Assembly.
Following the closed door meeting, the 2016 budget is expected to be passed by next week as Saraki, while addressing newsmen after the meeting said: “We just finished a meeting with the president and vice president. We came to let them know some of the solutions that we found in moving the budget process forward and we are happy to say that we have agreed on the way forward and we believe that this process will be completed in matter of days rather than weeks.
“So it is good to Nigerians and all of us, we have found a way forward and in a matter of days the budget will be ready for president’s assent”
When questioned to further explain his position, Saraki said: “We have committees that have been set up on our side and also on the executive side. We will engage over the next few days, to just tidy up a few loose ends and here and there and the outcome will be satisfactory to everybody.”
On when the budget will be signed Saraki said: “You heard what I have said, I said it is a matter of days and not weeks, so you can start counting the days which means that between now and Monday or Tuesday, I’m hopeful that the budget will be signed.”
Speaking to newsmen, Udoma Udo Udoma said: “We have agreed to work together to resolve all issues in the next few days and we have also agreed on the modalities of doing so. So it was a very good meeting, very positive and within the next few days all issues will be resolved.
“We are working together both the executive and the legislature to sort those things out, within the next day’s all matters will be resolved.”
Leave a Reply