A constitutional lawyer, Mr Mike Ozekhome, believes that the padding of the 2016 budget originated from the executive arm of government and not the legislative.

The legal practitioner, who spoke on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, linked his opinion to the sacking of some officials at the budget office by the President.

“The real padding in this current budget was actually from the executive, not from the National Assembly.

“President Muhammadu Buhari had to sack some people in the budget office when he discovered through some ministers who literally denounced their appropriation figures before the National Assembly, saying (that) it was not my deed (what we call ‘Non Est factum’ in law),” he stated.

Mr Ozekhome expressed dismay that the sacked officials were yet to be arraigned before a court.

Smuggled Figures

On the other hand, he explained that padding would have occurred at the National Assembly if figures were smuggled in the budget, after the lawmakers had made a resolve.

“Padding can only occur in the National Assembly if figures are smuggled in, after the finance committees at the various appropriation committee (Finance Committee, Budget Committee and the National Planning Committee) have agreed.

“If after they have agreed on certain figures debated and approved by the House itself at a plenary session, someone manages again to smuggle in some figures, then that could be padding,” he said.

Yakubu Dogara, Speaker of the House of Representatives, who on Friday afternoon met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, emerged defiant after the encounter, insisting he would not resign his position as Speaker.
The Speaker, who was accused by former chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin of padding the 2016 budget, dismissed the allegation, maintaining that padding was not an offence in Nigerian law.
Speaking with State House correspondents after his 30-minute meeting with the President, Dogara said:
“I am a lawyer and have been a legislator for a while, I never knew of an offence called budget padding.”
He said given his innocence, the question of asking asking him to resign, “does not even arise

datola:
This mischievous EZekhome of a liar again?

Dagora said he would not resign because padding is not a crime (according to Dagora) and you are saying that it is the executive that padded the budget. Who authorised the padding. Buhari?

Most of these lawyers are 'arije ni madaru' of the fifth column always obstructing the cause of justice because of what they would eat.