The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly Matters, Mr Ita Enang has said that President Buhari will assent to the 2017 budget while the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo will take it up from there.

Mr. Enang made the statement in an interview on Channels Television’s political programme on Wednesday.

According to him, “The 2017 budget will be transmitted to Mr president and the President will assent to the budget.“

“The President will assent to the budget, the acting President is in office and when the budget is transmitted, it will go through the processes and all those other questions will answer itself.”

He ​also ​confirmed that the Presidency received the budget on Wednesday afternoon.

Enang also said: “In respect to the budget, it was only this morning that the Minister of National Planning informed the council that the budget has been passed. He has not sent to us individually, copies of the passed budget.

“We now need to look at it against what we sent, and if there is any discrepancies, we will report back to the Minister of Budget and National Planning on harmonization.”

Recall that controversy over who would be saddled with the responsibility of assenting to the budget had arisen following dissenting voices from different quarters that the Acting President Osinbajo may not be the one to sign the budget.

Recall also that the House of Representatives on May 11, passed the 2017 Budget of 7.441 trillion Naira.

But, fielding questions from State House Correspondents earlier after the Federal Executive Council, FEC meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed also disclosed that ministers were studying the budget as passed by the National Assembly.

However, the Office of the Acting President yesterday cleared the air over the assent of the 2017 budget affirming that it would be singed into law when and if the Acting President expresses satisfaction with the bill.

Spokesman to the Acting President, Mr. Laolu Akande in a tweet late last night said “Just so we are clear: when the time comes, everything is set and he is satisfied, Ag. President Yemi Osinbajo will assent to the 2017 budget.”

Built2last:
The North will truncate this democracy if anything happens to Buhari. There will be power seizure by military for 6 months.
Another election will take place when the north pefercts their plan.

If this plan is foiled. Asassinations will take place.

hodusglobal:
Buhari soul is created by the lord Almighty, I prayed for our president to get well soon...Even if we elect 40 years old as our president he can also be called by his creator before the end of his tenure in the office...So, lets pray for Nigeria, our leaders and ourselves...#E_Go_Better

Built2last:
The North will truncate this democracy if anything happens to Buhari. There will be power seizure by military for 6 months.
Another election will take place when the north pefercts their plan.

If this plan is foiled. Asassinations will take place.

seunmsg:
It will amount to illegality for Buhari to sign the budget while still away. If he wants to sign, he should come back and inform the national assembly of his resumption. The people behind this signing controversy are just silly. What difference does it make if it's Buhari or Osinbajo that sign?

Ita Enang and Lai Mohammed unfortunately are not helping matters with their utterances. They are just creating unnecessary controversy for the government.

hodusglobal:
Buhari soul is created by the lord Almighty, I prayed for our president to get well soon...Even if we elect 40 years old as our president he can also be called by his creator before the end of his tenure in the office...So, lets pray for Nigeria, our leaders and ourselves...#E_Go_Better

codedguy1:
I hope this is not true. But if its true then those of us who were suspicious of the word CO-ORDINATOR being inserted in the letter knew what we were saying.

Where is falana and co who were insisting that only a letter needs to be written to the senate for osinbajo to be ag. President.

On paper they are correct but this is Nigeria and things should be spelt out clear and without any room for reasonable or unreasonable doubt.

Splashme:
Osinbajo must sign that budget.

This fooolish greedy president and his fooolish brothers in Aso Rock must not be allowed to destroy Nigeria's democracy

I told people that the cabal deliberately replaced 'acting' president with 'coordinating' president to limit the VP's power.

Some mumus were here attempting to defend them

nwabobo:
So coordinator cannot sign budget.

nwabobo:
So coordinator cannot sign budget.

White007:
Is apc running a different constitution? We had a similar scenario when Yar Adua was president and the acting president then signed the budget and it became a law. Is Nigeria Buhari's property? For him it may be excusable given his level of civil education but learned people like his aide, the Senator to be defending illegality is most unfortunate.

tinsel:

Buhari will not sign the budget. Leave the politics the opposition is playing.