IT was meant to fast track development, rebuild infrastructure and create jobs. But this year’s budget has, even before it takes off, become a document of acrimony.

The Northern Caucus of the House of Representatives is protesting against the capital allocation to the Southsouth as against the share of the three zones in the North.

The lawmakers are threatening to frustrate the budget’s passage, if the “imbalance” is not addressed.

Besides, some members of the caucus are insisting on the invitation of the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to explain why the Southsouth has 29.65 per cent of capital votes for the six zones.

House Speaker Aminu Tambuwal may meet with President Goodluck Jonathan on how to redress the “lapses” in the capital budget, it was learnt yesterday.

The caucus has submitted a 252-page “Regional Analysis of Capital Allocation in 2012 Draft Budget” to the Speaker and leaders of the North in and outside the government.

Copies of the document have been sent to the Presidency and the Minister of Finance.

A principal officer of the House from the North, who pleaded not to be named because of the “sensitivity” of the matter, said: “Members of the Northern Caucus are not happy over the huge gap between the capital allocation of the Southsouth and other zones in the country.

“We commissioned the analysis so that Nigerians will not think that we are wielding ethnic cards. Budget is about development; it should not be lopsided. While N116.5billion capital vote is given to the South-South, other regions have between N40.8b and N65.5b.

“Yet the capital vote is outside derivation principle, the N69b virement for some special projects in the South-South, the NDDC budget and other contingencies.

“We are definitely asking questions on[b] why none of the three zones in the North gets as much as 50 per cent of what is allocated to the Southsouth.”
[/b]
Another source added: “We are poised for budget battle with the President and Okonjo-Iweala, unless they rework the 2012 Appropriation Bill to reflect equity and justice.

“We have made our position known to our leaders and the Speaker who has prevailed on us to allow him time to discuss issues with the President.”

A copy of the 252-page document, which was obtained yesterday by our correspondent, reads in part: “The budget with a theme: “Fiscal consolidation, inclusive growth and job creation” is provided at N4.75 trillion. Of this amount, N1.3trillion is proposed as capital expenditure. The focus of this analysis is on the capital allocation component of the budget

“The report is aimed at bringing to limelight some salient gaps that need to be closed in the final budget in order to mitigate the devastating effect that such observed imbalances might have on the socio-economic development of the affected region(s).

“The entire capital allocation in the budget is painstakingly analysed herein to the six geo-political zones of the federation in order to depict what falls to each of the regions. In the process of doing so, it was realised that substantial parts of the allocation were either proposed to be executed centrally at the mother ministries or jointly combined for two or more zones. The two scenarios are treated for the purpose of this analysis as nationwide and partial nationwide respectively.

“From the foregoing analysis, it could be pictured that a large chunk of the allocation is handled centrally at the headquarters of the various ministries.

“The provisions traceable to the zones as a percentage of the gross allocation indicate that Southsouth takes the highest with 8.83% while Southeast, comprising five states only, takes the lowest with 3.73%

“Upon the exclusion of the centrally allocated amounts, the Southsouth takes 29.65% while the South-East takes 12.52%. Others are Northcentral (16.27%); Northeast (10.40%); Northwest (14.50%) and Southwest (16.67%).

“If the President’s proposals were enacted in its present state based on our analysis, the fiscal consolidation, inclusive growth and job creation as clearly spelt out in the theme of the budget might not be equitably distributed across the regions of the Federation.

“It is our prayer that the imbalance in the proposed capital allocation in the various zones should be objectively reviewed and harmonised in the interest of federal character, equity and fairness among the geo-political zones instead of a particular zone taking the largest percentage.”



http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/38131-budget%3A-north-rejects-southsouth%E2%80%99s-vote.html

Chai. Empty barrels dragging food when they bring absolutely nothing useful to the table. Very sad.

However, I still love the fact that even though my brothers in The East get far lower than these guys, they still manage to thoroughly trounce them in all facets of human development.
Such is the irony of life

Ejiné:

Chai. Empty barrels dragging food when they bring absolutely nothing useful to the table. Very sad.

However, I still love the fact that even though my brothers in The East get far lower than these guys, they still manage to thoroughly trounce them in all facets of human development.
Such is the irony of life

You can say that again.

Accountability is all we want not allocations.We know alot is going under.So where do you stand where corruption already takes a fair chunk of it.Well you guys figure it out sha!!I have lost hope in this nation and all it presents.

I love these sort of news report, not a single name was mentioned!

This is to show that the HAUSAS are indeed useless folks, the southeast with lesser allocation are not even complaining yet they will record a beta development than the northern heediots.
thats to tell you how clueless and useless the hausas are. no wonder alimajiri is a legitimate process in there plce.i spit on there grave.

onyewec3:

This is to show that the HAUSAS are indeed useless folks, the southeast with lesser allocation are not even complaining yet they will record a beta development than the northern heediots.
thats to tell you how clueless and useless the hausas are. no wonder alimajiri is a legitimate process in there plce.i spit on there grave.

Rather than insult the leaders, you are insulting the whole ethnic group ? How do you think ?

alj harem:

Rather than insult the leaders, you are insulting the whole ethnic group ? How do you think ?

So it pains abi? hahahahahahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaah

If na so, them all man for ehnself. . . .

Even the cut wey them dey recieve sef, na from Niger Delta Oil e dey come out from. . .

Let them agree to a proper federal system of government and lets see how much they are truly worth

Regionalism politics is not good for us as a nation, even though will need to still go back to former system where each person concentrate in developing their region.

The south-south should be the ones crying foul because they have oil resources from which the said funds will be generated for their leaders to take home and defraud. Here, these criminals and abokis are crying foul. Rubbish! Big Rubbish!! Can you imagine? Nonsense!

This is to show that the HAUSAS are indeed useless folks, the southeast with lesser allocation are not even complaining yet they will record a beta development than the northern heediots.
thats to tell you how clueless and useless the hausas are. no wonder alimajiri is a legitimate process in there plce.i spit on there grave.

Good talk! And the south-east even has oil that generates the funds, yet they are given much much lower than the northern regions and south west, yet they are not complaining. Most Hausas (not all) are idiots!

@ALJ_HAREM, i will say that both the hausa leadership and followership are doomed because how can a follower allow his/leader to exploit them to tghe extent that there is no human and capital development at all,no schools to attend,no enlightenment of any sort,they only darken dere brains by sending dem to arabic/quaranic schools.
look at the igbos,after the civil war they still gather there pieces together and forged ahead. today,those without formal education engaged in something productive by doing trading/commerce, what have the hausas followers done to address dere pooooor situation? pls reply, is it by contesting  with resource owners on how the allocation shuld be shared, dats parasitic method of feeding, dont forget ojukwu even brought abt the 13percent oil derivation to oil producing states during the constitutional committee set-up by abacha, even tghough he's not frm an oil producing state, i still spit ok

onyewec3:

@ALJ_HAREM, i will say that both the hausa leadership and followership are doomed because how can a follower allow his/leader to exploit them to tghe extent that there is no human and capital development at all,no schools to attend,no enlightenment of any sort,they only darken dere brains by sending dem to arabic/quaranic schools.
look at the igbos,after the civil war they still gather there pieces together and forged ahead. today,those without formal education engaged in something productive by doing trading/commerce, what have the hausas followers done to address dere pooooor situation? pls reply, is it by contesting  with resource owners on how the allocation shuld be shared, dats parasitic method of feeding, dont forget ojukwu even brought abt the 13percent oil derivation to oil producing states during the constitutional committee set-up by abacha, even tghough he's not frm an oil producing state, i still spit ok

I am not disputing the fact that the current crop of Northern leaders have failed in their duties and as such would allow rather make the populise uneducated so they can contiune to loot the people.

What I objected against is the general categorising aka "the hausas". The south is not any better because we still have the same common factor which is corruption in the high places.

Why not use the more appropriate term such as "Northern leaders"

Well, I dont have details of this issue, but I think after adjusting for 13% derivation and  Amnesty pprogramme, every other thing should be shared equally.

wow, allocation shuld be shared equally, thats good, so all zones shuld have equal number of states, all students shuld follow equal cut off mark to get admission (no more educationally less advantage states) , all states shuld have equal local govts, all states shuld control dere resources, thats equality

alj harem:

I am not disputing the fact that the current crop of Northern leaders have failed in their duties and as such would allow rather make the populise uneducated so they can contiune to loot the people.

What I objected against is the general categorising aka "the hausas". The south is not any better because we still have the same common factor which is corruption in the high places.

Why not use the more appropriate term such as "Northern leaders"

Ok, stupid northern leaders if that suits you.
These Abokis are so damn clueless, shouldn't they be happy that the SS agreed to share anything in the first place? Silly Oliver Twist dem dem.

ok ok ok now its time for that damn 4cking SNC.

What Nonsense by GEJ? very loopsided

Greedy PEOPLE. They are looking for more money to sponsor Boko Haram. Let them rebuild their groundnut prymaids and generate revenue from their own resources and stop relying and been greedy or the better self, Let them Divide Nigeria. I STRONGLY BELIEVE IN BIAFRA

True/fiscal federalism is the solution to this bickering. We were not cross checking what the North was taking home, compared to the South South and South East during the good old days of groundnut pyramids in the 1960 decade. Now they are crying wolf, pretending not to appreciate the developmental challenges of the South South region.
A round table discussion on what each people expect from the federation and what they can contribute and fiscal federalism is now inevitable. They should not take the rest of us to be fools.

Well, when government becoms the only source of income this is what you get,

http://5slate..com/2012/02/nigerian-man-dapo-becomes-woman-now-ms.html

beggers now have choice

Jonathan is the president of Nigeria and he needs to set the country on the part of proper federalism and if he's unwilling to do this he has no moral right to continue this miss-allocation,its unfair and really unjustified.I am with the northern caucus on this and i think the SW caucus should join them.
13% derivation,fine know problem,Nddc fair enough,Niger-delta ministry does not make any sense to me and now this.
Restructure the country so people can start looking inwards if you cannot or you are not willing to then stop this unjustified nepotism.

The usual noise making and rants of calling others parasite is absolutely senseless taking into consideration that the crude isn't  the result of the hard work of any man.We are all parasite dependent on crude nature provided.

the constitution of Nigeria do not recognized the 6 zone. why would anybody put budget of something the constitution of Nigeria do not recognized in it.  this guy want make them fire him.

This is itsekiri people.   does this people look like ijaw people to you.    Does this people like niger delta to you.


Jonathan including it in the budget is a bitch of the Nigeria constitution. And that is why the north is fighting it. They are setting up for impeachment. Jonathan Goodluck is not been smart. First of all, it is illegal for them to have a Niger delta ministry. It is unconstitutional.
No president can create zone for himself. When the constitution clearly state otherwise. Jonathan Goodluck is setting himself for impeachment. They will list this to impeach him. And if you look at the number of members in the house of assembly. Jonathan Goodluck will be impeach as president of Nigeria. He is not been smart. It will take them less than 5 minute to impeach him and work him out of aso rock.

Na wa for these Aboki people

In Nigeria only the Hausas are correct.

I knew fully well to a fault that when that tribalistic slowpoke at the helms of affairs at CBN started complaining about imbalance in appropriation of funds, it will sooner or later be a national issue.

I am not surprised if Sanusi had engineered his northern brothers in the National Assembly to disagree with the federal government.

Yeske!:

Ok, silly northern leaders if that suits you.
These Abokis are so damn clueless, shouldn't they be happy that the SS agreed to share anything in the first place? Silly Oliver Twist dem dem.

Mr. Yeske, Point of correction pls: the SS neva agree to share nada with anyone. The oil producing regions were effectively slice into two before and during the war and one oil-region used to conquer the other. The SS av no 'political muscle of their own' and av to resort to this hide and seek method of eating their own cake. Those who shld be ashamed here are the southerner. Every region in Nigeria has during one time in our history as Nigeria benefitted from other region. The way forward will now depend on how do we check the north from maneuvering the constitution always and start making our impact felt. In the article of OP, the north is divided into three but they appear to be speaking with one voice without mentioning any names. How did they manage to unite and and split the south so effectively?
They are united because they can afford to do away with the little differences they have and consolidate on their commön denominator. The ultimate goal for every southern Nigeria group shld be how to unite and av a say in the 'real affairs of the country that dictates every other affairs': the constitution.

@onyewec3, well said.
The battle has just began. The northern representatives will mount all the pressures they can muster hoping that GEJ will yield. They are good in attacking since the south seems to be docile. The best approach to kill this folly/greed is not to be defensive as they expect the south to do but to ignore them(their request) & make your own(ask for resource control). Indeed, the polity will be heated up which will lead us to SNC otherwise WAR breaks out. Remember that SLS was the first to mention this so called lopsided allocation to justify BH. ACF seconded & now northern reps. members want to use their lopsided regional advantage to effect it. It is part of the grand plan. Southern reps. pls, don't try to defend it rather, attack back with resource control. Employ whatever means available to you. Only two lifelines will be available to those parasites: SNC or WAR/DISINTEGRATION. They have asked for it; GIVE IT TO THEM.

"Empty cans makes the loudest noise" they say, What is there contribution? If not to kill their those that contribute substantially.

u see as long as naija remains d most populous black nation on earth, and so long as d north still has interest in a united nigeria, we go chop ur dollar (sorry) oil and there is really nothing u can do about it! the relationship btw d north & d south is dat of a man and his many wives. so cry as u like naija remains one and oil money we must chop. in d life of a nation 10 or even 20 yrs is nothing but women! can u really understand? I DO NOT THINK SO.