Obasanjo Says ‘Budget Not To Be Treated In A Hurry’

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A former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Thursday said that the 2016 Appropriation Bill, which has been sent to President Muhammadu Buhari, is not a document to be treated in a hurry.

The former leader made the statement while addressing reporters after he held talks with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

He explained that the law made provision for the President to critically look at the document “even though it takes a longer time” to give his assent.

When asked to give his opinion about the budget, he said he had not read the budget.

“To be able to tell you about the budget, I have to read the budget to know what it contains and what it does not contain. So, I cannot talk to you about the budget.

“The constitution allows you [the President] to continue with the budget provided you do not go beyond the previous year. And that can be done up to the middle of the year,” he told reporters.

Mr Obasanjo, however, parried questions from reporters on the details of his meeting with the president.

On March 23, the National Assembly passed the 2016 budget of 6.06 trillion Naira, with a deficit of two trillion Naira.

The budget passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives was 17 billion Naira lower than the figure of 6.07 trillion Naira presented by President Muhammadu Buhari to the National Assembly in December.