Hashtag #BudgetOfYams Rattles Buhari, Forces Review of 2016 Budget

Sources in Aso Villa tells us that President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered for a
downward review of the 2016 Appropriation Bill , over the sympathy the hashtag
#BudgetOfYams drew from Nigerians and the International community.
The
source also told us that President Muhammadu was unhappy over the bashing
he received over the billions allocated to his office, that of his vice, Prof Yemi
Osinbajo, and The Presidency.
But in another twist of events, The Presidential Adviser to the President on
National Assembly matters, Senator Ita Enag and some APC Senators have fault­
ed the claim.
Fielding questions from Senate Correspondents in Abuja uja yesterday, Senator
Enang said the Budget is still residing in the custody of the leadership of the two
chambers of the National Assembly.
He said: “To my knowledge, the budget as laid by Mr President on the 22nd of
December 2015 is still with the National Assembly and has not been withdrawn.
“If there is any such action, there will always be a communication and budget is
not a sensitive thing that it cannot be dealt with behind the scene.
“It can be worked on behind the scene after second reading by different
committees but it has not been read a second time.”
Also reacting to the claims, Deputy Leader of the Senate, Senator Ibn Nalla (APC-
Kebbi) who denied the allegation, said the upper Chamber will commence debate
on the budget framework the moment it resumes plenary after the Christmas
and New Year break.
“We will settle down immediately into the issue of passing the budget”.
“We might begin by debate on the general principles of the budget, then resolve
into the committee to quickly ensure that the budget is passed as quickly as
possible so that government business can start with no delay, ” he noted.
Senator Kabiru Gaya( APC-Sokoto) also refuted the allegation saying that even if
there is an adjustment in some of the items listed out in the budget, the
amounted mentioned earlier by President Buhari can not change.
He said: “I don’t think it has been withdrawn but whatever the case is, the figure
of the entire budget will not change. Mostly, it is adjustment of priority projects.
During the media chat recently, the president specifically mentioned some few
projects especially some important roads in the country”.