N47bn Exotic Cars: We Were Wrongly Accused - NASS Members Attack Buhari
Nigeria - Members of the National Assembly have stated their
resolve to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari over a comment he made
during his recent media chat.
Buhari had wondered that the National Assembly planned to buy cars worth over N47bn, in addition to taking car loans and generous transport allowances.
“I can’t see the National Assembly spending more than N47bn to buy cars on top of transport allowance they collect," he said.
The lawmakers had denied the statement 24 hours later, and are now saying they were wrongly accused, PUNCH reports.
House Minority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor, said the members were prepared to meet with the President, where the lawmakers planned to ask him how he arrived at the figure.
“We advise that, in keeping with the principle of separation of powers, he should read sections 4,5,6 and 80 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) jointly for clearer understanding of which arm of government has the power of appropriation.
“All that is contained in the entire budget remains a mere proposal until approved by the National Assembly the way it deems fit,” he added.
Ogor added that the National Assembly too would need to be convinced why the Presidency proposed to buy cars worth about N3.5bn this year.
He argued that while nobody raised eyebrows over the Presidency’s budget on cars, a “non-existing” figure of N47bn was quoted for the National Assembly as its planned expenditure on exotic cars this year.
“The Presidency proposed to buy cars for almost N3.5bn, there is electrical wiring of almost N300m.
“There are so many proposals in the Presidency’s budget that we think should be subjected to thorough discussions. Some of the proposals in the Presidency’s budget may not even stand.
“Where we are not convinced, we will remove and take some sub-heads to areas we think they are needed.”
Buhari had wondered that the National Assembly planned to buy cars worth over N47bn, in addition to taking car loans and generous transport allowances.
“I can’t see the National Assembly spending more than N47bn to buy cars on top of transport allowance they collect," he said.
The lawmakers had denied the statement 24 hours later, and are now saying they were wrongly accused, PUNCH reports.
House Minority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor, said the members were prepared to meet with the President, where the lawmakers planned to ask him how he arrived at the figure.
“We advise that, in keeping with the principle of separation of powers, he should read sections 4,5,6 and 80 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) jointly for clearer understanding of which arm of government has the power of appropriation.
“All that is contained in the entire budget remains a mere proposal until approved by the National Assembly the way it deems fit,” he added.
Ogor added that the National Assembly too would need to be convinced why the Presidency proposed to buy cars worth about N3.5bn this year.
He argued that while nobody raised eyebrows over the Presidency’s budget on cars, a “non-existing” figure of N47bn was quoted for the National Assembly as its planned expenditure on exotic cars this year.
“The Presidency proposed to buy cars for almost N3.5bn, there is electrical wiring of almost N300m.
“There are so many proposals in the Presidency’s budget that we think should be subjected to thorough discussions. Some of the proposals in the Presidency’s budget may not even stand.
“Where we are not convinced, we will remove and take some sub-heads to areas we think they are needed.”
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