₦airaland Forum

What's so special about that!!
She wants to drive Jeep, doesn't President Buhari want to fly Private Jet, and get FOREX at official rate and live in tastefully furnished state house!!??

She paid all the way, Buhari too paid all the way too!! After all, where all of una dey when Buhari wan borrow money buy Presidential Nomination for APC!!??

Both Tinubu Ooh, Lai Mohammed Oooh, Lalasticlala, even seun for Nairaland hia; Buhari no see them borrow money buy form!!!

Everybody shout Sai baba, vote but Buhari paid all the way, and now E dey fly Private Jet for Presidency!!

Any fulani Bagga dey threaten am!!??

Make those Children get lost Jooor!!!

Goke7:
yes because you know all the details of his financial responsibility ba? na bad belle de worry una, nothing more cos according to you guys its when the man became President that his children started flying first class, na kabu kabu dem de use before

Oooh Sorry!! I made a mistake, my comment was actually meant for those who understood what sarcasm is, with respect to Baba Buhari's story from Party to the Presidential palace!!

MosakuAW:
I understand you!

He is the seating president and i believe he can afford 3x of it without being corrupt. PMB's salary i dont know but 1st class seat on BA is between 2m to 3m Naira, this amount is 'chicken change' to a Senator not to talk of a seating President.

We know most of the politicians are corrupt but not able to afford 3million naira from his annual salary is not.

President Buhari's monthly Salary is less than 2 million!! Senators earn #720,000 monthly - 12 sittings a month!!

Goke7:
do you know how much PMB's wife make from her beauty makeover business? don't let PMB's personal wahala give you hypertension o, we still have 3 more years to go bruv

Inspite of this, when time to buy Presidential nomination form for APC that year, na bank loan e collect!!

Now when he be president, he can now afford all things!! Including FOREX at official rate to pay for her school fees while other Nigerians - in the humble words of Adams Oshiomole - can go and die!!!

Well............God dey!!!

Adminisher:
My friend , you are posting rubbish here. No state condones the rubbish you are describing here. What is high handedness with terrorists and militants?. They are supposed to be force fed bullets upon bullets. Don't give me the oft repeated " it does not solve the problem"..heavy hand does solve belligerence. Algeria, Morocco, Jordan, Holland, Saudi Arabia and Germany, they hit terrorists very viciously, swiftly and secretly. It is no surprise they have been very successful in keeping away rubbish .

One would have to be a special breed of "DUMB" to compare us to such countries!! Take algeria for example, they have the highest Military Budget in Africa!!

Even during the Oil Boom, Nigeria could not financially afford to fight Militants - who love their lives - Bullet for bullet!! One reason why Obasanjo was smart to enter into an amnesty deal with Asari Dokubo. An amnesty deal he smashed later on and levelled Odi in the process - which eventually culminated into the militancy problem we are suffering till today!!

How much more fighting both Militants and Boko-haram (who don't love their own lives at all) with almost no serious cash - and when I say cash, I am talking about FOREX - within our economic space (Both Macro-economy and Micro-economy).

President Yar-adua - who is the Inventor of this amnesty deal - was no fool!!

Is it Saudi arabia you want to compare us to!?? That is even out of it!! Those guys behead an average of 7 people per week under a monarchy system of government; they are not even a democracy. For your "informate" na Sharia them dey practice. Their own oil money and our oil money no be mate!!

Our oil money compared to their own na "Audio"!! Them they hear am, them no dey see am. There is no basis for comparism.

Is it the german economy you want to compare us with now!!??

The amnesty agreement is quite simple; once the militants covered by the deal and trained in various areas - either through higher education or skills acquisition - they go their own way and fend for themselves!!

Meaning!!?? If we provide you the means of fending for yourselves through various means of empowerment, you keep off crime and economic sabotage!!

Some have been trained as pilot, engineers, marine welders and have been put off monthly stipends from government and are on their own. Others got stuck, in this change government - that will rather buy Brazillian grass with $1.5million - budget 2016 - and reclaim lands of Farmers to feed the cows of murderous fulanis - that will invade a village, sack its inhabitants and claim the land as a gift from Allah than pay school fees of people going to school under a pact signed to ensure a peaceful working environ within the creeks!!

Twice, I had to personally hold ground against fulanis with my grand dad in Uromi in Edo state; who just believe that all land belongs to God! Na the strongest man dey claim am!!
If fulani wan claim land for Jos, them go still come Edo come claim land!??

Ok!! Mr Bullet for Bullet, how many bullets have fulani herdsmen been fed since Buhari came into power!!??

Instead he wants to give them a grazing reserve with imported grass. Which means, the herdsmen are easily identifiable plus Buhari cow too must chop inside!!

War of any kind is fought with money!! Even the bible says it in Luke 14:31. No king goes to war without first counting the cost. If he knows he can't match the opponent blow for blow, send ambassadors and ask conditions of peace if it can be met!!

Besides!! This isn't convetional warfare, it guerilla warfare!! Where will government return fire!!?? You can't win a war like that bullet for bullet!! Niger - delta militants never fought for territories nor strong holds!!

At a time when Federal government is having issues paying workers salaries and has shaved as much as 20% off some workers Salaries; Mr President is busy looking for who to fight and show federal might!! Where will the cash come from!!??

Be wise..............

Has anyone even noticed that it is foreign media now that is giving us the true position of Nigeria's war on terror!!

Nigeria Media only publicises attacks made by the Nigerian Military and not by Boko Haram!!

Its only Fulani herdmens attacks that Nigerian media reports and even Fulani attacks have been removed from Nigeria's Media Space - because Baba Buhari wanna dash them grazing reserve as part of his promise he gave to fulanis who crosses the chadian border to collect voters card to vote him in!!

Giving Nigerians the illusion that the war against Boko Haram is over meanwhile it just got worse - I will explain why it got worse in a minute!!

I am guessing nobody has heard the new case of mutiny again raised by the GOC Div 7 against soldiers who were abandoned in the middle of nowhere, in a town they liberated but were now under seige from Boko Haram!! Hoping they would be airlifted out; only for the GOC to come in with helicopter and start chausing the soldiers and issuing threats!!

Also, has anyone noticed that the amnesty agreement - between the FG and ND Militants - is systematically being torn up by this government; in light of the resumed hostilities taking place in the Niger-delta against both oil installations and towns believed to be the homes of perceived militants!!

Everyday, outside media reports!! Former militants are picked up and locked up everyday - all in the name of man-hunting tompolo - who happened to be one of the critical actors in demystifying/exposing the structure Of MEND.

Already the Vice-President is calling for the Military to raise a Quick Response force that will be on ground to battle active militants, while the military is still taking hits from a technically defeated Boko-Haram in the North!!

My opinion!!?? Buhari was foolish and undiplomatic in handling Niger-delta affairs. If he is willing to spend $1.5million on importing grass from Brazil to build a grazing reserve for Fulani - that are killing farmers who own the land without mercy - why not continue to pay the Militants fees who are in school abroad till they finish their education and then they are on their own!!

Instead you stop paying and asked them to be sent home, then you go after the points man of amnesty deal in the person of tompolo - that Yar-adua extended the deadline for the surrender to amnesty by one month just to make sure he was enumerated within the program - and you expect oil and power generation levels to be normal!!??

It is unfortunate that Nigerians do not fully appreciate the level of high-handedness and uncharitable and undiplomatic atitude of this government because of how they (ab)use the media!!

Else by now, people will be calling for another change or a revert to status quo!!!

tuale4u:
I agree

You again!!??

After praising Buhari for "withdrawing" the First Budget through the back door and claiming that he only broke protocol and he didn't break the law, then you said you had read the 2 budgets - budget that is over 1,600 pages each whey be say Buhari sef never read - until when they announced the amended budget he brought was padded before you lock-up!!

Now you dey here dey do "I agree"!!

Chaaaai!!! Na wa for you!! Na only U waka come!!?

For those who no know wetin I dey talk see e thread hia!!

https://www.nairaland.com/2865623/why-buhari-should-commended-amending

chukel:
Our senate is a shame. Ben Bruce is a shame too. Why come on twitter to rant. Where was he when this bill passed first and second readings? What did he say. Where are our southern senators. Are these people under a sort of spell in that abuja or what. What nonsense is happening in that upper chamber. This is really disgusting. They only become vibrantly active on the floor of the house if it is ccb ammendment bill. Useless dolts.

Are you aware that when bills are disputed ; that the senate employs the use of voice vote!! Na who get Majority for house, no be APC!! Ben is but one man.

That is why, when something was pass am - especially in the area of voice voting, with majority carrying the vote - he will come to social media and raise alarm and hope Nigerians denounce such evil bills!!

Instead all you hear is "twitter senator" and "Sai Baba"!!

I never knew that ras kimono was a prophet!! Before una even begin to sell form, e don do wailers song for Una!!

Oya see am here!!

http://waptrick.com/en/download/Ras-Kimono/Under-Pressure/?type=FT&id=348453

Lyrics: Under pressure we wail under pressure!!

Choooi!!!

Forget fela: na igbo dey work!! Ras kimono was a true prophet!!

Na now I even know: the man don do wailers song for una before una even begin dey sell wailers form!!

Oya get ya wailers song copy hia!!!

http://waptrick.com/en/download/Ras-Kimono/Under-Pressure/?type=FT&id=348453

ajebuter:
If I dash you slap eh!

Choooi!!!
This wan no fit be ajebutter at all!!

tuale4u:
I am not commentimg on d budget as a whole. The part you are focussing on is d same on the two Budget. I am only making reference to d difference in d first Budget and the new one.
Not d entire Budget.

If there is any appropriation the senates feels is too much, the senate can reduce or remove it. It is within d power of d senate to do so.

Wait but you said you had seen both budgets!! Abi that wan sef na propaganda??

Obviously you had very little information before you created this thread!!

Nonetheless, I salute your courage on defending your opening post; even though it foundation had no trace of information o rtruth in it; else you would know like some Nigerians that the amended budget was padded!!

Whether it was Sarki/Buhari problem Oooh; whether it was Budget office Oooh; whether it was Buhari's Ministers. In the end, he submitted a budget that he clamied was amended to address issues that he signed - obviously without studying it - that was padded!!

All he has to do?? Apologise to Nigeria - bothh fans, critics and the indifferent - , put in checks to make sure it doesn't happen again and then move on!! That's how good leaders do it..............

His fans will love him more, his critics will hate him more and the indifferent will just keep on looking!!

tuale4u:
My post have already address that as d perfect thing to do. That is why i said in my post it wasnt properly done.

What is the basis for determining if a budget is properly submitted or withdrawn!!?? How you feel about the personality involved!!?? The perceived intentions involved - I mean is there a legal/judicial instrument for determining intentions - or documented rules and regulations!!??

tuale4u:
It is not illegal. D document is d president budget. The president is d author. As long as NASS has not worked on it, he can ammend it. Nothing wrong in amending it. Maybe he erroneously did not follow protocol, but he did not break any law.

Are protocols drawn out of thin air or are they determined by laws!!??

Did anyone even notice that every single comment made in that article was based on the account of "An anonymous source close to the presidency"!!

Even the closed door meeting that Mr Speaker of the House of Assembly held - according to this aproko source - they know what was said in that meeting!!

And then to punctuate it!! They added the most important Item!! A Selfie!!

The same selfie that buhari took with what some "wonderful" people believe is the 2016 appropriation bill - I said appropriation bill because there is no budget - the day he was set to jet out to china, and now APC friends and family are in sheer ectasy.

Na waooh!!

Only you know say Buhari don receive list of Sabotuers, only you know say Buhari get list of areas whey National assembly pad budget and sent to presidency -but e no get list of people/areas whey pad the amended budget whey e send to National Assembly- , only you know say Buhari wan deal with fear fear lawmakers whey pad budget - like say Lawmaker now, na buhari appoint them - , only you know say Dogara use fear take do meeting!!

Hmmmmmmmm.................Na waooh!! Vanguard clap for yaself!!

Does this aproko source know what President Buhari wanna do to fulani cattle rearers whey kill people for Agatu, Rivers, taka etc - beside dashing them land for grazing reserve - are we going to see people going to jail/tried first - in whatever fashion Buhari's chooses - abi everybody whey die na saraa!!?? The rest of them, line up and queue for rice, salt and fura!! Chikena!!!

Na so Propaganda take dey start, the information in this article cannot be independently verified. They just put it out there, when people hail it, Lai mohammed, Alhaji garba and adesina will say na so buhari wan do am.

If people no hail am nko?? Alhaji Garba go first talk say, Buhari no talk, the Adesina go say na Scam; then Lai mohammed go say na PDP talk am!! Na so the e take dey go!!

Thats all U get from a "Selfie Taking" government.............proper propaganda without clearly drafted policy framework!!

Everything na "Buhari order this" and "Buhari order that" or " A source close to presidency"!!

No worry, small time 2019 go show!! Whether nastory bois go chop that time!! We go know.............


Meanwhile!! According to the last Official statement made bY President Buhari's Personal Aide On Nationatl assembly Matters; Buhari never rejected the Budget so how can there be Sabotuers for a budget that wasn't rejected.

See source below

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/2016-budget-not-rejected-executive-presidency/

As far as APC is concerned this is a monumental achievement!! This would have been impossible because of the monumental corruption during the 16 years PDP was in power.

Even little children could sense the amount of corruption Oozing from President Jonathan and wouldn't dare hug him.

But you can see, even from President Buhari's body language; he has zero tolerance for corruption, so everybody wants to hug him even the chinese!!

N.B: - What else can you expect from a "Selfie- Taking" government!!

Hundreds of millions of pounds of British foreign aid given to Nigeria to help combat Boko Haram terrorists is instead being used to fund a witch-hunt against opposition politicians, it is being claimed.

Britain has committed to spending £860 million in foreign aid to Nigeria, which now boasts Africa’s largest economy, to help support the country’s efforts to crush Boko Haram terror group, which has been responsible for a spate of outrages, including the kidnapping of hundreds of Nigerian schoolgirls.

But Western officials are now raising concerns that the government of the country’s recently elected leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, is misusing the funds to persecute political opponents.

Since Mr Buhari came to power last July, a number of prominent members of the former ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have been arrested and imprisoned without charge. Among those detained was the party’s official spokesperson.

•  Nigeria: a nation in fear of becoming the next Rwanda

Most of the arrests have been sanctioned by the government-controlled Economic and Financial Crime Commission, which was set up to tackle corruption and receives funding from the Department for International Development.

But while Mr Buhari’s government continues to use British aid money to target his political opponents, it is proving less effective at tackling the Islamist-run Boko Haram terrorist group.

Much of the aid Britain provides to Nigeria is aimed at helping the country’s security forces to become more effective at tackling Boko Haram, which boasts of its links with Islamic State (Isil) and achieved international notoriety two years ago after kidnapping 276 schoolgirls in northern Nigeria two years ago.

•  Boko Haram demands '$50m ransom' for release of kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls 

Scores of British military personnel – including members of the Special Forces – are based in Nigeria helping to train the military to tackle Boko Haram. But despite Mr Buhari’s pledge during last year’s general election campaign that he would make tackling Boko Haram one of his top priorities, there is growing concern among Western officials that the Nigerian military is failing to take effective action against the terrorists.

This has resulted in Boko Haram now being regarded as the world’s deadliest terrorist organisation, responsible for more deaths than Isil. There are now reports that the group is trying to train kidnapped children to act as suicide bombers.


President Muhammadu Buhari is currently on a visit to China   CREDIT: WANG ZHAO/AFP

“This is a scandal in the making," explained a senior U.S. official. "There is no doubt the growing strength of Boko Haram is because President Buhari is far more interested in settling scores with his political opponents that concentrating his energy on defeating terrorists,”  “The result is that Nigeria is starting to look more and more like a police state while Boko Haram just goes from strength to strength.”

Another Western diplomat added: “If Buhari was serious about fighting corruption he would be focusing all of his efforts on targeting corruption that is impeding Nigeria’s ability to focus its efforts on tackling Boko Haram.”

Accusations that Nigeria is abusing British aid will add to the growing controversy over Downing Street’s commitment to spend 0.7 percent of GDP on the foreign aid budget. Last week the Telegraph reported that DFID was under pressure to cancel £200 million of foreign aid to Tanzania following concerns over a widely condemned election.

This resulted in Dr Liam Fox, the former Defence Secretary, accusing the government of “spraying money around” simply to achieve the 0.7 per cent target.

Western officials have expressed concern about Mr Buhari’s increasingly autocratic style of government since he came to power last year. A retired major-general, Mr Buhari, 73, previously headed a brutal military dictatorship following a coup in December 1983, which lasted until he was overthrown by another coup in 1985.

Now political opponents claim he is returning to his old dictatorial ways, abusing British aid meant to improve Nigeria’s ability to tackle Boko Haram to consolidate his hold on power.

Apart from the concerns over British aid, American officials are also angry that  $2.1 billion of aid given to the Nigerian military to tackle Boko Haram has not been properly accounted for.  

Mr Buhari’s claim that he is winning the war against Boko Haram - recently claimed the group no longer poses a serious threat - has been undermined by recent revelations the Nigerian authorities have tried to cover up the fact that hundreds more schoolchildren have been abducted by Boko Haram.

Human rights activists have no confirmed that around 400 women and children were abducted last year by militants from the Nigerian town of Damasak.

It is now believed that some of these children may have been trained as suicide bombers. U.S. counter-terrorism experts say at least 105 women and girls trained by Boko Haram have taken part in suicide attacks since June 2014.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/12/nigeria-using-uk-aid-to-persecute-presidents-political-foes-rath/?+

N:B - In other news, campaign don start already against 2019

Person go China go collect gbese, them say e hit am big!!
If you give them chance, them for snap the money whey china be wan borrow them or snap the cheque!!

I don talk am before!! This is a "Selfie-Taking" government!!

Chikena!!

TheGoodJoe:

Show me a link. One article where he dared that there was no amended budget with the Lagos-Calabar Railway project.

He can not dare it. It is impossible.

I Trust Sen. Udoma to sink him. Trust no shaking. That is a true son of his dad. Research on his dad, Chief Justice Udo Udoma.

Start from this page! The interviw is broken into 3 parts!! Listed in the page on this link


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW0aX3pXa_o

May Senator Udoma not lose ya trust..

TheGoodJoe:

Hon. Jibrin is just lying to save his face. The man knew there was an amendment for the budget.

Show me where he said dare for Amended budget, if Sen. Udoma Udo will not cook him alive. He does not have liver to say that.

That Udoma is one bad ass lawyer.

I just told you to go to the Channels youtube page where the full interview is and you are still asking!!

I was not told! I watched it live!!

TheGoodJoe:

Hon. Jibrin is trying to save his face. Let him tell us that he did not receive an amended Budget. That is all I want him to say.

Let his Committee heads say they did not receive an amended Budget.

Let him tell us that the committees they set up, appropriated budget for both Railways and he accepted their recommendation for the Lagos-Kano rail (Note, it was Sixty Billion naira and Sen. Gbenga Ashafa and the committee reduced it to fifty-two Billion).

He then called the appropriated Budget for The Lagos-Calabar Railway project, Floating fifty-four Billion naira.

Hon. Jibrin can not deceive me.

Also for the record Hon. Jibrin does not have a committee head!! He is the Head of the Committee on appropriations and that's why; him daring amaechi or whoever to bring the copies of the alleged budget is not a small dare!!

TheGoodJoe:

There was money set aside for the project by the President.

When once you get this side, then you understand that it was always in the President's plan. Why send Amaechi to the Niger Delta region to promise them a Railway if it was not in the President's plan.

Someone omitted it. Obviously, a saboteur who were among those who padded the budget to make the administration look bad.

Hon. Amaechi took steps to make the Committee on Land Transports correct it. They did and Hon. Jibrin and his crew chose to ignore it.

Here you go again with amaechi; that's why I sense a relationship cause once Amaechi's name is called you must appear!!

And don't even talk about promises!! Is it the #5,000 to unemployed graduates or the #500,000 for cops members seeking business opportunities .............don't go there; it won't work!!

Besides irrespective of whatever he wants to promise Niger-Deltans, technically tearing up the amnesty deal and putting Tompolo on a hit list and bombing his house in warri is enough Niger-deltans wanna hear as far as Buhari's promises are concerned.

Also the rail project is practically paid for by a Chinese loan issued by China exim bank, paid directly to CCECC and supervised by Chinese embassy, Ministry of works and Foreign affairs!!

Once the terms of reference/agreement for the project are met, work will continue. Its not a new project, its an old one. Its been existing for quite sometime.

Was it not Buhari that hired private consultants with tax-payers money to handle budgetting at - in the name of Zero_budgetting - a time when Ministers weren't even available - sharp deviation from the norm where perm-secs and Minister and Heads of Parastatals will put heads together.

It now back-fires, ok Ooh!! Take responsibility for your actions, investigate and let Nigerians
Know that every new procedure have attendant hiccups instead you blame a budget mafia!!

Now it NASS that is the problem!

Before it was corruption that was the problem, then later it became the Judiciary, now it is NASS.

Don't worry, I understand you small, by the time Buhari say na amaechi be the problem, you will wake up and change parade from these your fantastic conspiracy theories!!

Whether Amaechi or Buhari likes it or not due process must be followed to avoid another budgetary padding by this selfie-taking government!!

Chikena

TheGoodJoe:

Hon. Jibrin is trying to save his face. Let him tell us that he did not receive an amended Budget. That is all I want him to say.

Let his Committee heads say they did not receive an amended Budget.

Let him tell us that the committees they set up, appropriated budget for both Railways and he accepted their recommendation for the Lagos-Kano rail (Note, it was Sixty Billion naira and Sen. Gbenga Ashafa and the committee reduced it to fifty-two Billion).

He then called the appropriated Budget for The Lagos-Calabar Railway project, Floating fifty-four Billion naira.

Hon. Jibrin can not deceive me.

Hon. Jibrin won't receive budget on behalf of National Assembly; as a Budget is not the exclusive preserve of the Upper house but both upper and lower house.

For Hon. Jibrin - who is the Chairman on House committee on appropriations - to dare them to present the copy of the budget they have, he may have done his homework!!

Let's not forget that the executive does not have the upper hand in this matter as they didn't do their work properly on the amended budget or else it won't have been padded.

In any case, whether it was included or not is a non-issue; hence the embarrassment of NASS!

Na Mr President hold green biro, all he has to do is to write the Speaker of lower house and Senate President ofthe upper house and that's all!!

What is all this drama intended to achieve?? That the Ministers are more competent than legislators or what??

Are they looking to spring a trap in advance so that if Buhari doesn't sign budget by May when 2015 budget expires and the country grinds to a halt, they can blame NASS??

TheGoodJoe:

Show me where Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin said Amended Budget. He can never say it because it is in there.

Talking of when the President comes back, does not count. Hon. Jibrin already admitted they did not include the Lagos-Calabar Railway project.

Unless you believe Pres. Buhari will sign it without this project.

The Project will come back. Hon. Jibrin can jump from pillar to pole. It will still enter the final, signed Budget.

Senator Gbenga Ashafa said, Amaechi presented a supplementary budget. That is for the Transport Ministry. What Sen. Udoma Udo presented to the Committees was the full amended budget.

They are two different things and the Lagos-Calabar Railway project was in the amended budget.

Now I understand where you are coming from!! Well it is either you are a relation or Nairaland PRO of Amaechi or just another naïve Nigerian!!

Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin has nothing against the Lagos - Calabar Rail project; all he emphasised on was due process!!

He said on Channels television that they didn't need to remove the Lagos-Calabar rail project because it wasn't there and had dared whoever states otherwise to bring their own copy as they have both copies of the budget - the original and amended!! Check channels you tube page for details!!

The story being sold in the media is that it was removed in favour of the lagos - kano rail project!! The story NASS at the most important level - which is the committee on appropriation level - is that it wasn't there.

If truly it wasn't there, a letter signed by Buhari to the Upper and Lower house is enough instead of all these telemundo/Telenova that Amaechi and his crew are displaying!!

Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin has nothing against the project, if they follow due process to include such a project - if truly, there was an error of omission as claimed by Ashafa - why will they deny it and bear the wrath of Nigerians from the south

Let's not forget, that even the so-called amended budget was padded with over #10billion hidden in the education sector, house rent written in the domestic spending of the Presidential villa; even Professor Isaac - Health Minister - disowned Ministry of Health Budget during defence, so the more reason why emphasis will be placed on due process!!

No sentiments, no kparakpo, no looking of uche face - abi na amaechi face

TheGoodJoe:

The Minister for Budget and Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, told our reporter at the weekend that the government included the project (Lagos-Calabar) in the 'amended budget' and passed it to the Standing Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

http://saharareporters.com/2016/04/11/lagos-calabar-rail-project-new-controversy-between-arms-nigerian-government-over-2016

It was not Amaechi that sent but President Buhari who sent an amended Budget through the Minister of Budget and Planning, Senator Udoma Udo.

The project (Lagos-Calabar Railway project) was in the amended budget.

All you people are ready to fight against us because of your grievances against Amaechi.

Amaechi, Kaichukwu, adeosun...........makes no difference. The chairman of the Senate House committee on appropriation dared Amaechu and whoever is claiming that the Project was included in the Budget - whether originally padded or amended - to present the copy of the budget!!

If sincerely it was there, then why hesistate. Besides, Senator Gbenga Ashafa said that it was Amaechi and not Udoma that presented a copy of the Budget with Lagos - Calabar rail project included at defence hearing.

Senator Ina Itang (Presidential Liason officer at the National assembly) said Hooohaaa in a press release that Mr President didn't reject any budget, that when he gets back from China; he wants to review the budget on a Ministry by Ministry Basis, that's all.

Its folks like Amaechi and Ashafa that are trying to suggest Buhari didn't sign the budget cos it was padded and key projects were removed from it!! Lagos - Calabar Rail has already been in the offing since 2014, its not new!!

teadrake:
And you're in support of the assertion that the minister of transportation isn't at liberty to submit a supplementary budget of his ministry as earlier claimed by one the contributor here on nairaland?

Let's get the lexicon right!! Amaechi didn't submit a Supplementary budget because there is no 2016 budget.

The budget will emerge after the 2016 budgetary appropriation bill is signed by Mr President.

Only Mr President has the legal right to send a budgetary proposal to the NASS!! Even if Amaechi - who I must make U aware is a seasoned parliamentarian being a former speaker of Rivers state house of Assembly - wanted to sincerely make changes or corrections to his ministry's budget proposal, he has to go through the presidency - which is the legal sole signatory of the budget proposal.

A document signed by Buhari, presented to Mr Speaker/Senate president (which must be read before the house), seeking the inclusion of the rail project or any other project would have sufficed!

But to say Amaechi brought his own copy of the budget and wanted it included at the level of defence hearing is fraud!!

Let us not forget, that this is a fraudulent padded budget and doing anything outside existing conventions - no matter how good the intention is - will be suspect!!

Let be practical here!! This is a selfie-taking government!!

teadrake:
Lest we forget it was the ex finance minister Dr Okonjo that participated mostly(Both the Reading of the budget and defence) in the 2014 budget under the previous administration? And now you possibly think is against the law for a minister to submit a supplementary budget under the backing of the executive of his ministry?

Mr President doesn't defend budget, ministers do it. Nkonjo Iweala was resisted by the NASS but they had a change of heart on 2 counts.

1.) She presented it on behalf of Mr President and read Mr Presidents address. The Budgetary document was signed by Mr President and not by her.

2.) She was also the coordinating Minister/Head of the economic team. Allowing her to read Mr Presidents address and present the budget put her within there reach to summon her when they needed answers to questions as regards the stateof the economy. She knew the budget like the back of her head-tie!!

Did Mr President give Amaechi any document signed by him in respect of the budget?? Yes or No?? Or better still, did amaechi/senator Itang present a letter from Mr President withdrawing/adding portions of the budget proposal for correction!!??

That's what amaechi should have told Nigerians and not this confusion they are trying to create.

Feasting on the naivity and sentiments of some Nigerians!!

aresa:
You are wrong, the minister and even government agencies can submit suplementals to the Congress directly. This is why he was there to defend his budget and supplemental instead of the president.

Stop quoting kabukabu law..

Since you insist on issues of law; name one Minister - in the History of Nigeria - at the State and Federal level that has submitted Budget proposal to its Assembly - State or National - and you would have proven yourself wiser than those speaking from a legal position!!

Plus Budget defence hearings were not held in a vacuum!! NTA is tasked with the statutory duty of covering budget hearings; if truly Amaechi defended a Rail project, why hasn't lai mohammed - Minister of Information abi na Mis-information? - released the video footage of the defence??

If Amaechi indeed drew the attention of the NASS on an omission, and the project was truly meant to be part of the budget; why didn't he get back to Mr President and ask him to send the corrected version of the Budget like he did for this Budget initially!!??

Are you even aware that Prof. Issac - Minister of Health - disowned his own budget claiming that what was there wasn't included by Him, yet that Budget carries President Buhari's signature.

In saner climes, the National assembly would have summoned the President to explain why he would sign/presented a padded budget because that is corruption - but because it is Mr Anti-corruption and APC has a slight Majority in the NASS - everybody lock up.

The only time Amaechi as Minister of Transport defended any rail project that I am aware of, was when a committee was raised to probe the rail projects undertaken by the Jonathan administration: as allegations of looting was raised during the electioneering campaigns, caused the funds for the rail projects were outsourced via a loan and there were those who alleged that Jonathan shared the cash during elections.

Nkonjo Iweala made it clear, that the funding for the projects were provided by the Chinese EXIM bank and one Naira never came to the Nigerian government. Nigeria was only required to send specifications for the project to CCECC - Chinese civil engineering and construction company - which the EXIM bank nominated and paid cash to directly for the Job; Ministry of Foreign affairs, Ministry of works and the Chinese embassy were to supervise to ensure that targets of the each phase of the project was achieved.

In any case, it wasn't amaechi that presented the budget to the National assembly. It was Buhari himself, and as such he is the Best person to tell us if such removal ever took place. In any case, this isn't a budget, its a budget proposal. As far as I am aware, no spokesman of the Presidency has raised any allegation of padding or contract removal against NASS, na drama queens like amaechi and ashafa na e dey make noise.

The national assembly cannot include or remove anything in the budget without it debated upon during the first and second reading.

If they are looking for people to blackmail or blame for their inability to deliver what they promised during the electioneering campaigns they should just continue to use Jonathan - afterall the guy don lockup - or better still use PDP of 16yrs!!

But to blame the NASS that practically cleaned up one of Nigeria's most fraudulent budget in the history of budgetting - how many of you are even aware that private consultants were engaged and paid to be part of the budgetary process for the first time in Nigeria's History - and at the end of the day who did we blame for the failure?? Definitely not Buhari, he is a saint of the first islamic order, not even the Ministers who didn't do a thorough Job - so tay minister say 16 + 6 = 24 - but they blamed budget office abi na budget mafia.

Now Buhari hasn't even looked at the budget, e use paper - whether na budget dey inside we no know - take snap selfie with Osibanjo and Udoma; make e for tell us say e no get time look am before e go chop sushi for china. E send Amaechi and Gbenga Asafa to talk rubbish.

Now na NASS be e problem.

I have found/Christianed this government to be a selfie taking government!!!

As far as Nigeria is concerned, na only God go save am from this selfie-taking government!!

Wetin them sabi?? Nothing, na to take selfie, the look for who to blame when things don dagbaru!!

Baba Yunwa!!

Amaechi and Gbenga Ashafa are bastard Liars!! Only a naïve Nigerian will listen to this hogwash!! How can you defend a project that wasn't in the budget, then claim to have sent a supplementary document!! In what capacity!!??

Amaechi is a bloody minister, only Mr President has the right to send any budgetary document to the senate.

For a senator to claim that a document related to the budget was raised by a person other than Mr President is fraud, ignorance and madness that only a confused government like the one headed by Buhari can raise!!

Nonsense APC!!!
That was how Lagos state government under fashola during elections sent messages to senior civil servants for emergencyy meetings; only to get to alausa and meet ambode there trying to chair such a meeting!!

These guy are either totally lawless or are a big olodo rabata conglomerate that know nothing about the law!!

Nonsense!!

Wait Oooh!!

So in effect, what all you quick to comment Nairalanders are saying is that the Leadership issues affecting simple creation, review and passage of budget happened just because a simple Majority of Nigerian during the elections couldn't differentiate between a real clueless leader and a fake clueless leader!!??

Hmmmmmmm!! Its alright

adeyemi2015:
It's not a matter of how far, rather how well?! PMB can't be bullied into signing the Budget without proper vetting unlike what was obtainable in the prior administration!
There is certainly a new Sheriff in town, though we are suffering at the moment, and really think we've entered one chance! Some are already regretting voting for change!
He who laughs last, laughs best..... to every patriotic Nigerian; Acuna Matata!
I believe we shall appreciate the present administration very soon!

A very wonderful comment/observation; I would have called it a valid one but it has one problem................it can only be said by folks like you who are fans of Buhari, Mr President cannot boldly/openly adopt this position, why??

Our fiscal year for the last budget terminates in april. There is pressure to get the budget passed into law before if the last budget expires before the new one is in place, a crisis much bigger than the one we are in will occur.

If President Buhari was a visionary leader and a man with a solid plan, he would have done one of 2 things.

1.) Ensure that the budget is scrutinised by himself and his string of personal assistants/advisers after the budget was compiled by the Budget Office & have it defended before himself before sending it to the National assembly - something that was always done by the previous administration, the track being as follows

Ministers > Budget office > Coordinating Minister of Economy/auditor-general of D Federation/Accountant-General of D Federation >Presidency > National Assembly/Budget Defence > Presidency/Presidency signs budget!!

If this had happened, the budget would have been passed by now. Let us not forget that it was the National assembly - with both PDP, APC, APGA etc - that discovered that the budget was padded, not the Buhari, the Presidency nor any of its agencies.

Nobody is bullying him to sign the budget, if he doesn't get it set before the end of april, come 1st of May he will not be able to spend a kobo of Nigerian cash, grinding the economy to a halt!! The economy is not at a halt, see as things dey hard for country, imagine e dey halt, wetin go come happen!!

2.) Draft copies of the budget should have been sent informally to strategic members of the National assembly in key committees to review the budget on a ministry by ministry basis while the budget creation process is on-going. That way, they would have guided the budget process, budget padding would have been avoided, and time would not have been lost - Obasanjo once used this approach and it worked.

By the time the budget comes in, everybody knows what's in it and the passage would have been smooth.

The budget is late because Mr President left the budget in the hands of Minsters with Zero-Experience at the federal level!! Hence the National assembly was forced to step in and do what Mr President didn't because he was too busy with his Global familiarisation tour Chikena!!

Budget padding was introduced by this administration and isn't part of our National polity at all; to the point that Ministers were denying budget during defence that Mr President signed with his own Signature! Habaaa

If truly a new Sheriff is in town, A right thinking Nigerian would have asked,
"Why will a new Sheriff append his Signature to a Budget that was padded and present it to the National assembly for Review"??

There are only 2 answers

Its either he padded the budget and hoped that a largely APC house would have just passed it as a bill for him to sign.

Or he made an honest mistake by trusting his Ministers and Budget Office by not reviewing the budget before appending his signature. Choose your pick!!

But giving Buhari Credit for a Job done wholly by the National assembly dis-honours our legislature, is darn right un-appreciative and hypocritical!! Only a die hard, brain-washed APC fan will see such a grievous error and hail Mr President for it, especially when such error has never existed in our history since 1999!!

You-tube is awash with videos of Nkonjo Iweala dodging bullets as coordinating minister of the economy for the direction of the budget in senate hearings!! To now turn around and say previous administrations didn't vet the budget is sheer ignorance!!

Make google and you-tube your friend and the truth about how care-free, buhari is handling national issues will shock you!!

God bless Nigeria!!
God bless Nigerians!!