2013 budget: National Assembly vows to override Jonathan’s veto next week

Posted by admin Legislature, Senate Friday, February 22nd, 2013

The endless rift between the Presidency and National Assembly
over the 2013 budget took a new dimension Thursday as the
National Assembly vowed to override President Jonathan’s veto
next week.

Zakari Mohammed, chairman House Committee on Media and
Public Affairs who spoke at a press briefing in Abuja, noted that
“the constitution demands 30 working days, as far as we are
concerned, it is not yet time.”

He explained that the Senate and House will give one-week grace
to the Presidency before moving to make the budget operational
without the need for President’s assent.

Mohammed said “right now as we speak, the leadership of the
National Assembly are interacting with Mr. President about the
2013 budget and by next week, if nothing has been achieved, we
are going to apply the Constitution that gives us powers to
override his (President) veto.

“We are not afraid to take that decision, we must explore all
means available before taking a decision, and we still have time
before we go into that, the National Assembly will act at an
appropriate time.”

Mohammed noted that some of the reasons why the President
declined from signing the budget was over “the issue of
benchmark which has been lingering for some time now, the
unresolved issue of the director general of Security and Exchange
Commission (SEC), and the issue of rollover of the 2012 budget.

“What it means is that even the fourth quarter allocation that was
done few days ago would definitely be utilised properly because
the implication is that if we end the budget by December 31 it
means that some money may have to be returned to the treasury
and as the case with some MDAs, the monies because of the rush
getting their records together might even be misapplied.”
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