For the few that called this Post useless, I on the contrary thinks that the writer is finally coming around, away from sentiments and hate. His blames and commendations are for the first time ever, well balanced save for the undeserved subtle blame on Mr President.

Will come back and read this post. Let me comment first

Beeman1:
Another meaningless and useless post from a man who don't know what dey call "DIGNITY".

No!
you are the miserable senseless goat here.
Barcanistar was on point today.
I m not his fan, but he just spilled out senses.

Amaechi deserves no kudos. Not at all.

He's the Minister of Transport for crying out loud. He has slept on his right when he missed putting in the project before the budget proposal of the executive.

I believe he still reasons as if he's a governor, a CEO, albeit, of a State, who can order the State house about. Now he should get used to being a mere expendable boi boi.

DONSMITH123:
I am no fan of Rotimi Amaechi but he deserves credit and not knocks. Those calling for his resignation over this issue should hide their faces in shame.


straight and forward. Thanks for voicing it out bro.

...Sincerely, Buhari wasn't really interested in the said project perhaps because it wasn't in the North....

.... Well I don't expect anything meaningful from a Politician fighting for his political career and relevance desperately.

For the sake of your ignorant readers who will not apply sense.

If Buhari is not interested in Lagos Calabar, he will not hold the budget to ransom that he will not sign it.

@

All said well, yet i will disagree with you on this point.

WORTHY OF KNOCKS
President Muhammadu Buhari
Firstly, it is inappropriate and amount to nullity for a minister to propose extraneous budget outside what has been submitted to the NASS. If President Buhari really wanted the project, all he had to do was to request for withdrawal of the budget before the House and submit an amended budget that would capture the project. If Buhari was sincere, he wouldn't have just captured a project that connects Lagos to Kano by rail without considering that of Lagos-Calabar that is of more economic benefit. Sincerely, Buhari wasn't really interested in the said project perhaps because it wasn't in the North.

Sir, prejudice never shows much meaning.

Permit me to tell you this, Buhari isn't the one who drafted that budget to start with. All ministries are to tender their budget and it ws collated into a whole.
To assert a blame to Buhari is just showing your contempt for this man.
Let me be clear sir. If Ameachi went back to make provisions for the calabar-lagos rail, to me, it does means that Ameachi is to be blamed for that ommision, and yes, he deserves a knock and not your praise.

Dindondin:
No!
you are the miserable senseless goat here.
Barcanistar was on point today.
I m not his fan, but he just spilled out senses.

He spilled out half sense half trash

All the Executive branch has to do is submit a Supplementary Budget for separate funding for the project. simple thing, don't make it complicated. Buhari does not need to veto the budget cause it doesn't contain one item. He needs to sign and approve the budget so other matters already passed in the budget can get funding and commence work. Then he just need to submit a supplemental budget to the House floor, open it for debate and let the legislators vote up or down.

9airaland:
@

All said well, yet i will disagree with you on this point.




Sir, prejudice never shows much meaning.

Permit me to tell you this, Buhari isn't the one who drafted that budget to start with. All ministries are to tender their budget and it ws collated into a whole.
To assert a blame to Buhari is just showing your contempt for this man.
Let me be clear sir. If Ameachi went back to make provisions for the calabar-lagos rail, to me, it does means that Ameachi is to be blamed for that ommision, and yes, he deserves a knock and not your praise.

May Almighty Allah bless you beyond human imagination for this wonderful clarifications.

modath, are you wailing?

modath:


Jibrin & co knew there was no "floating" nothing, he & his bros in the senate only played a fast one since they know we won't even come together to fight as one voice..



Truth be told "Bubu Bungled Budget" , but we'd excuse it as beginner's error, Next one, we trust, due diligence would b done....

kITATITA:


[size=15pt]If Buhari was not sincere, he wouldn't have returned the budget He would have signed[/size].
For those who wonder why the SS and SE legislators didn't do anything to have the project appropriated; the answer is Amaechi. They do not want him to succeed. It is same way the National Assembly withheld appropriation to SEC due to personal issues with Arunma Oteh.

@Tonyebarcanista, pls take note of d standing line. I echoed d same thing in another related thread.

Our Reps are just too fuckin docile

Bros leave d messenger n check out d message. Infact, post ur own let's see hw useful it is.

Beeman1:
Another meaningless and useless post from a man who don't know what dey call "DIGNITY".

TonyeBarcanista:
Ladies and gentlemen, and patriotic Nigerians please permit me to air my view on this issue of alleged omission of Lagos-Calabar rail line from the 2016 Appropriation bill(Budget) by members of the legislative arrm of government.
This issue has been trending across media space including Facebook, Twitter, Nairaland, Palmchat, etc

We all agree that since the budget was proposed by the president and submitted to the National Assembly, there has been one controversy or the other. The latest of the controversy being the omission of Lagos-Calabar rail line, which my piece is to dwell on.

THE ISSUE
When President Buhari presented his budget bwfore the National Assembly, there was no provision of Lagos-Calabar rail project but only Lagos-Kano rail project contained in it. The minister of transport, Hon Rotimi Amaechi during his budget defence tendered document for the Lagos-Calabar rail project to be captured in the 2016 budget before the Senate Committee on Land Transport (as confirmed by Sen Gbenga Ashafa), and to be funded with a floating N56billion. While the Senate Committee on Land Transport accepted the adjustment, and recommended same to the Appropriation counterpart, the project was however rejected by the Appropriation Committees of both the House and the Senate, as well as the whole National Assembly.

Without prejudice, I believe it is appropriate to give knocks and commendation to those worthy of it.

WORTHY OF KNOCKS
President Muhammadu Buhari
Firstly, it is inappropriate and amount to nullity for a minister to propose extraneous budget outside what has been submitted to the NASS. If President Buhari really wanted the project, all he had to do was to request for withdrawal of the budget before the House and submit an amended budget that would capture the project. If Buhari was sincere, he wouldn't have just captured a project that connects Lagos to Kano by rail without considering that of Lagos-Calabar that is of more economic benefit. Sincerely, Buhari wasn't really interested in the said project perhaps because it wasn't in the North.

Senate And House Committees on Appropriation:
Is it not hypocrisy that members of the Senate Committee led by Sen Danjuma Goje(Gombe state) and Hon Abdulmumin Jubrin(Kano) of the Senate and Reps respectively would see everything wrong in allocating a floating N56billion towards a rail project that would open up Lagos-Calabar, but saw nothing wrong in reallocating the said money into not-so-important projects? When did thd Appropriation Committee assume power to decide new projects for the executive? It is even more shameful that the vice Chairman of Senate committee on appropriation, Sunny Ogbuoji is a southerner from Ebonyi state. I tried to get the names of all committee members of both committees but was unsuccessful. One question these Appropriation Committees members need to answer is "would they have cancelled the addition by Amaechi if the project to be added was Lagos-Kano rail project?"

The National Assembly:
For the fact that the Appropriation committee would empower themselves the privilege of re assigning funds for not-too-important projects from the floating N56billion, nothing stops them from reassigning those funds to Lagos-Calabar rail project. It is a shame that the Senate and the House would agree to such a budget appropriation. Would members of both Houses okay it if the project in question was Lagos-Kano rail? A big shame and an indictment on Southern delegation in the NASS especially those from the South-South and South West that are supposed to be the beneficiary.

WORTHY OF COMMENDATION
Hon Rotimi Amaechi:
We must commend Hon Rotimi Amaechi for his bold step to find ways to inject the Lagos-Calabar rail project into the budget and also seek way to fund it without going beyond his ministry's allocation. I am no fan of Rotimi Amaechi but he deserves credit and not knocks. Those calling for his resignation over this issue should hide their faces in shame.

Sen Gbenga Ashafa and Senate Land Transport Commitee:
Also worthy of commendation is Senator Ashafa and his team although it would have been more appropriate for Ashafa Committee to advice Amaechi of the nullity of his proposal to smuggle in a project in the eyes of the law.


The Way Forward:
It will amount to injustice for Mr President to append his signature into that thrash paper called Budget of 2016. The proper thing to do now is for the President to veto the budget and submit a new document or amendment document to capture the Lagos-Calabar rail project. This blame game is diversionary and we will not be distracted by the antics of enemies of the South and the country as a whole.




May God Bless Us All and Bless Nigeria...

I so much enjoy most of ur write up. Kudos bro.
But i will like to get sum clarifications on issues I find uncomfortable with dis budget.
Am not on the syd of anybody but good governance. So b4 u go ahead crucifying the ss and se senators let me ask these;

1. During the early stages of every budget i was made to understand dat every ministry submit a proposal of wat they want to be captured in the budget. Was Amaechi sleeping then dat he couldn't initiate dis Lagos calabar rail from the outset. or is it the duty of the Buhari to do dat.
2. The 56billion purportedly floating, how did they come about dat, bearing in mind dat we were told the budget was going to be a deficit one?

Am confused, Just help me out to understand beta.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria

Amaechi built road linking Opobo to upland with dozens of bridges but it has been swept under the carpet as nothing. No Governor in history of Rivers State and the entire South south has achieved 50% of Amaechi's accomplishments. If Wike can achieve 10% he will be honoured greatly.

we all  have the knowledge and the facts at our disposal. As citizens of dz great country FRN, we are in the position to tell wailers what the facts are. No government in this country or elsewhere in the world can solve all the problems in its country in a given time.let us put tribalism in the graveyard of history.if the govt did not capture Lagos -Calabar in 2016 budget, definitely, it would be done in next supplimentary or 2017.
The blame game will not get us anywhere, rather it will creates more divisiveness in the political zoo called Nigeria. The ineffective buffon ruled for 5 years, he never saw the need for Lagos -Calabar railway route. Now the daura man saw the opportunity to link Lagos to kano, the wailers begin to attack him. It will not get us anywhere. tonye the image of bacanista, the commander in critics of PMB and APC should stop praising some while condemning others.....Let's join hands 2gda and lift dz nation out of the mess created by the most popular ineffective buffon in the hx of Africa.

ekenedilichukwu:
All the Executive branch has to do is submit a Supplementary Budget for separate funding for the project.

Now in hindsight 20/20 after seeing what National obstructionists are capable of doing, they presidency should have, but that doesn't mean the presidency did the wrong thing, they did the right thing while hoping the other side of the wheel of government were ready to do the right thing.

Sending the Minister to amend and restructure his ministry's budget to reflect the project was a legit move, but the other side is basically hiding under the fact that the item was not in the original budget which remains a bogus and unintelligent excuse to coner the money to their area of access, influence and control.

simple thing, don't make it complicated. Buhari does not need to veto the budget cause it doesn't contain one item.

No, he did the simple thing already by simply adding amending to add the project, but others are making it difficult so he should just veto the whole budget and redraw it to reflect his wishes and let the lawmakers again delete the project in front of Nigerians.

He should call their bluff by terminating and restructuring the budget and have them delete the project out in the open without any not in the budget cover to hide under.

He needs to sign and approve the budget so other matters already passed in the budget can get funding and commence work. Then he just need to submit a supplemental budget to the House floor, open it for debate and let the legislators vote up or down.

No he doesn't have to sign anything or set any blackmail precedent for them to keep exploiting. He must stand his ground because any sabotage of his agenda or bad results economically or socially is going to be his fault, he's going to shoulder the blame like Nigerians are doing today even though he did not create the problems the country is facing and rightfully so because the buck stops with the president regardless. We are very shallow when it comes to leadership and apportioning blames..

He needs to start playing hardball simply because we have too many crooked and dangerous elements in government even within his own party who are ready to let the country sink or swim.

maupe:

This assertion is completely wrong. The minister for transport, is solely responsible for the cacophony that is currently bedeviling the NASS and the executive. Rotimi Amaechi should have lobbied for the inclusion of a rail line running from Lagos to Calabar, prior to the submission of the budget by the president to the national assembly. The minister should have used his office and influence to pass across his proposal directly to the President or through the chief of staff or SGF. That is the way it is done in civilized climes. But knowing Amaechi from his past antecedents, it is very obvious that the minister used this controversial project as a means to drive a wedge between the Executive and the NASS, in his twisted plot to position himself for a much lucrative political position come 2019. The OP, should know that Amaechi does not care about any form of development in the South-south. Amaechi only cares about Amaechi

How would driving a wedge between Aso Rock and NASS help Amaechi? How would it reward him with a much lucrative position in the future? Unless you are saying Amaechi used the drama to draw attention to himself so he can appear to be fighting for the people - in which case I would say he is wasting his time since party bosses (not the masses) decides who gets to eat at the big table. Anyway clarify yourself maybe I am missing your point.

God bless you. It is always good to know when to leave partisan politics aside and fight for our common good.

@ Tonye - Nice write up, below are my observations.
1. This budget has been a disaster from the beginning, For those questioning why Buhari should be on this list; well the buck stops with him. How can such signature project be omitted from the budget h submitted to NASS. Also I dont buy the lie that it was included in the amended budget - if it was, then why would Amaechi have to resubmit a supplementary budget via Ashafa to the Appropriation committee, hence am more inclined to go with it no being not top of Buhari's priority.
2. If we assumed that the above is correct; then it could explain why the SS reps in NASS can claim to be unaware of the deletion of the project was it was never included in the either the 1st budget submitted or the amended budget -which they would have a copy of, as oppose to what was submitted supplementary by Amaechi to the Appropriation committee, any SS rep in that to the Appropriation committee should be recalled by their constituency.
3. Also enough of these games - the whole hue generated by this issue is not because of the love of the project or the benefit it portends for the constituents but for the benefits (monetary, reputation etc) opportunities it offers these politicians.
4. Personally - am ashamed of APC as a party - given their clear majority in both houses - the level of drama associated with a budget is disgraceful.

IamAtribalist:


How would driving a wedge between Aso Rock and NASS help Amaechi? How would it reward him with a much lucrative position in the future? Unless you are saying Amaechi used the drama to draw attention to himself so he can appear to be fighting for the people - in which case I would say he is wasting his time since party bosses (not the masses) decides who gets to eat at the big table. Anyway clarify yourself maybe I am missing your point.

.[/quote]
A divided and rowdy wild wild west APC will make the ground level for any upstart and darkhorse to seize the political machinery for his use. A united APC will make it easier for the ACN and CPC to neglect and outmanoeuvre any NPDP hopeful

"I believe the Clinton campaign told CNNthat their strategy is, 'we go into New York and Pennsylvania. Disqualify him, defeat him and unify the party later,'" he said

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/06/politics/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-qualified/index.html

searchng4love:
modath, are you wailing?

I Offend you? You don see meaning of "wailing"? I nor dey sorrow!

However Bubu is not perfect, but love "tolerates".

/
Even with the uproar generated by the omission, not one senator is raising his/her voice. The ever loquacious, twitter senator went deaf and dumb all of a sudden. The only comment he made was to refute a call out.

This issue goes beyond party affiliation. But then, every one in the senate is in it for egoistic reasons. My sympathy goes to those who fail to see it as such and who are quick to shed blood, trade blames and curses for the oppressors who couldn't care less.
\

maupe:

.
A divided and rowdy wild wild west APC will make the ground level for any upstart and darkhorse to seize the political machinery for his use. A united APC will make it easier for the ACN and CPC to neglect and outmanoeuvre any NPDP hopeful
"I believe the Clinton campaign told CNNthat their strategy is, 'we go into New York and Pennsylvania. Disqualify him, defeat him and unify the party later,'" he said
http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/06/politics/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-qualified/index.html

So you are saying Amaechi is trying to create political chaos within APC for his own political ambition? I will have you know that if this APC dispensation fails Amaechi (The lion of Ubima) is going down with it. APC's success is far more important to Amaechi's ambition. Quote me anywhere.

modath:


Jibrin & co knew there was no "floating" nothing, he & his bros in the senate only played a fast one since they know we won't even come together to fight as one voice..u



Truth be told "Bubu Bungled Budget" , but we'd excuse it as beginner's error, Next one, we trust, due diligence would b done....

You can't blame PMB, he promised not to interfere in any parastatal. Rotimi intervention was a bit late.

@OP, the southerners don't need the project, they have enough billionaires that can fund the project. Let them keep pulling themselves down while we in the north keep developing before their oyel dries. MtchwwwWwww

maupe:

This assertion is completely wrong. The minister for transport, is solely responsible for the cacophony that is currently bedeviling the NASS and the executive. Rotimi Amaechi should have lobbied for the inclusion of a rail line running from Lagos to Calabar, prior to the submission of the budget by the president to the national assembly. The minister should have used his office and influence to pass across his proposal directly to the President or through the chief of staff or SGF. That is the way it is done in civilized climes. But knowing Amaechi from his past antecedents, it is very obvious that the minister used this controversial project as a means to drive a wedge between the Executive and the NASS, in his twisted plot to position himself for a much lucrative political position come 2019. The OP, should know that Amaechi does not care about any form of development in the South-south. Amaechi only cares about Amaechi

I doubt if you have been following this particular issue. The minister did all that is necessary on this project by personally lobbying the necessary senators and some reps. even the same honourable Jubrin, Senator Goje , Ashafa and some other members. These people people are only trying to play games.


And mind you it is not only the ministry of transportation that had issues of omission of items on their budget . The amended budget was submitted by the minister in charge of budget and national planning on behalf of all the ministries affected to the clerks of the senate and HoR while Amaechi moved a step further by given the committee in charge of transport 50 copies of the amended budget after lobbying them.

sammysammy111:
Popcorns are normally fried in the same pot, in the same oil, at the same time and under the same heat conditions. But they do not all pop at the same time. When flood comes, fish eat ants. When flood recedes, ants eat fish. Only time matters. To make soap, oil is required. But to clean oil, soap is required. This is the irony of life. Everybody needs somebody at any one point in time. Do not despise or treat anyone with scorn when they are excelling or failing more than you. There is time for EVERYTHING and for EVERYONE. Keep TRUSTING in God and WAITING for your turn. Your time to POP will come at God's appointed time. NEVER GIVE UP .

Wisdom

Southerners let us open our eyes or else we will just wake up one day and discover that the northerner have sold this country and pocket the money.enough of petty squabbles that disunite us. Kudos to amaechi and others who ensured this project was not missing from the budget.

tuale4u:
@ Tonye Barcanista thank you your partly objective write up. Even though your partisanship prevented you from being 100% objective

I dont know why you ignore Niger delta senators and house of rep members in your knock list. I blame our Niger Delta Senators the most in this saga. They are even more guilty than the appropriation committee. The role of senators is to represent thier region and constituency in national discuss. For something as important as Budget, our senators were suppose to take it very seriously. They were suppose to be up and doing in looking at the Budget b4 them and how it affects the people they represent. It is even thier job to lobby the NASS to add things that were not in the budget
that will benefit thier region. NASS has constitutional power to add and to remove items in the Budget. But it is the role of our Senators and house of rep members from Niger Delta to ensure this power of NASS is used to our favour and not against us.

Actually, what the Northern senators did could be seen as people doing their true Job as senators. which is to represent the interest of thier region. they saw a loophole knowing fully well the senators representing us are docile, they took full advantage of it.

However, I dont think the floating 54billion naira is an accident in Ministry of Transportation budget. The money is too close to what is needed for lagos-calabar rail to be by accident. I think the Calabar - lagos rail was already planned to be in the budget submitted to the NASS. But was mistakenly absent as item but was present in the total sum.

There is no way Rotimi Amaechi will be defending that project before the Senate without full Buhari approval. Also if the project was not very important to the president, I dont see how the president will delay his assent to a budget because of an Item he doesnt care about. However for the initial omission, the presidency deserve some blame. But atleast they tried to remedy it.

God bless you........ You took d words right from ma mouth.

TonyeBarcanista:

Are you mentally stable?

How many societal ills can you cure? Do your best and nature will take care of the rest.

tuale4u:
@ Tonye Barcanista thank you your partly objective write up. Even though your partisanship prevented you from being 100% objective

I dont know why you ignore Niger delta senators and house of rep members in your knock list. I blame our Niger Delta Senators the most in this saga. They are even more guilty than the appropriation committee. The role of senators is to represent thier region and constituency in national discuss. For something as important as Budget, our senators were suppose to take it very seriously. They were suppose to be up and doing in looking at the Budget b4 them and how it affects the people they represent. It is even thier job to lobby the NASS to add things that were not in the budget
that will benefit thier region. NASS has constitutional power to add and to remove items in the Budget. But it is the role of our Senators and house of rep members from Niger Delta to ensure this power of NASS is used to our favour and not against us.

Actually, what the Northern senators did could be seen as people doing their true Job as senators. which is to represent the interest of thier region. they saw a loophole knowing fully well the senators representing us are docile, they took full advantage of it.

However, I dont think the floating 54billion naira is an accident in Ministry of Transportation budget. The money is too close to what is needed for lagos-calabar rail to be by accident. I think the Calabar - lagos rail was already planned to be in the budget submitted to the NASS. But was mistakenly absent as item but was present in the total sum.

There is no way Rotimi Amaechi will be defending that project before the Senate without full Buhari approval. Also if the project was not very important to the president, I dont see how the president will delay his assent to a budget because of an Item he doesnt care about. However for the initial omission, the presidency deserve some blame. But atleast they tried to remedy it.

I advice Tonyebacarnista 2 withdrawn this bias writeup honorably,apologised & rewrite it r reflect d true position of d events.

maupe:

This assertion is completely wrong. The minister for transport, is solely responsible for the cacophony that is currently bedeviling the NASS and the executive. Rotimi Amaechi should have lobbied for the inclusion of a rail line running from Lagos to Calabar, prior to the submission of the budget by the president to the national assembly. The minister should have used his office and influence to pass across his proposal directly to the President or through the chief of staff or SGF. That is the way it is done in civilized climes. But knowing Amaechi from his past antecedents, it is very obvious that the minister used this controversial project as a means to drive a wedge between the Executive and the NASS, in his twisted plot to position himself for a much lucrative political position come 2019. The OP, should know that Amaechi does not care about any form of development in the South-south. Amaechi only cares about Amaechi

can you just listen to yourself. Let's assume amaechi doesn't have the interest of the Niger delta at heart as you shamefully opined. what about the lawmakers that represents the South south, what were they doing there? why didn't raise any highbrow over the calabar/lagos ommission. don't you think this guys are sleeping while their northern counterparts are fighting for their region. you guys always turn logic on it's head