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| David Mark Goodluck Jonathan Aminu Tambuwal |
President Goodluck Jonathan was on Tuesday, November 19, berated
by members of the Senate and House of Representatives for calling off his
scheduled presentation of the estimates of the 2014 budget to the joint session
of the National Assembly.
They faulted the reason adduced by Jonathan, saying his action
was capable of delaying early passage of the budget.
The President, who also cancelled the presentation
last week, had in a letter to the leadership of the National
Assembly, stated that the failure of the Senate and the
House to harmonise their differences on the crude oil benchmark for
the budget was responsible for his latest action.
The Senate had passed $76.5 per barrel as the
benchmark while the House approved $79. Jonathan, in the financial
estimates, proposed $74.
His letter reads in part, “Considering the fact that, whereas
the distinguished Senate has approved the Medium Term Expenditure Framework
based on a benchmark of $76.5 per barrel, the honourable House of
Representatives has used a benchmark of $79 per barrel. It is infeasible for me
to present the budget in the absence of a harmonised position on the MTEF…”
But in the Senate where the letter was read to the members
by their President, David Mark, as an announcement, no comment was made on it
on the floor. In the House however, a thunderous applause greeted
the letter as Tambuwal completed reading it.
“Yes, correct”, “correct talk”, “let him not come, “we said
so”, “that is right” and “he should stay away” were heard from
members, who also clapped and shook hands.
They argued that the reason given by Jonathan was not tenable.
SHOWBIZPLUS gathered that the mild drama was an expression of
“victory” by the lawmakers, who had last week kicked against Jonathan’s visit.
Some of the Senators , including Senators Kabiru
Marafa, Mohammed Maccido, Heineken Lopobiri and Kabiru Gaya,
argued that the President should have presented the
budget estimates since arrangements had been perfected to receive him.
They noted that the harmonisation of the
benchmark would have still been sorted out by both chambers of the
National Assembly.
For instance, Gaya said, “He (Jonathan) gave a date
earlier, so if he was ready, we would have received
him without even passing the MTEF.
“The President should have come here today(Tuesday),
present his budget and the issue of benchmark can be discussed and agreed
upon during further deliberations on the budget.
“I don’t see any reason why the President should not be here to
present his budget.
“I believe it is not our fault, the blame should be passed
somewhere else.”
On his part, Marafa said the President erred in the first
instance by taking it upon himself to peg the oil benchmark because it was
purely the function of the Legislature.
The Chairman Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Mohammed
Maccido, said the two chambers would deliberate on
the benchmark this week.
He said, “I believe that at the moment, the issue will be
tabled before an ad hoc committee that will sit within the next one week to
iron this out.
“If we iron this out this week, Mr. President would be able to
present the budget by next week. God’s willing we will pass the budget this
year. We have the rest of the year to do that.”
The Presidency has however
dismissed the insinuation that the fear of the New
PDP supporters in the National Assembly and opposition
party lawmakers was responsible for the
cancellation of the presentation by Jonathan.
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