Yar'Adua

Squabbling lawmakers were shoved aside yesterday, with President Umaru Yar’Adua sending a N4.079 budget proposal for next year to the feuding National Assembly.

Besides, there were strong indications yesterday that the 2010 budget will be laid separately before the Senate and House of Representatives today by the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Mohammed Abba-Aji.

The Nation had a peep into the budget. The aggregate expenditure of N4.079trillion for next year is about N1.209trillion higher than that of the budget estimate for this year.

The aggregate expenditure for 2009 presented on December 2, 2008 to the National Assembly by Yar’Adua was about N2.87trillion.

Other highlights are: Recurrent Expenditure - (N2.01 trillion, excluding debts); Budget benchmark ($57 per barrel); Recurrent Expenditure (N2.01 trillion, excluding debts); Capital Vote (N1.37 trillion); Inflation rate (11.2 per cent); GDP growth rate (5-6%); Exchange Rate of N150 to US $1; and JV Cash calls of $5billion

A source, who spoke in confidence, said: "We are going to spend N4.079trillion next year and the Appropriation Bill has been sent to the National Assembly.

"On the part of the Executive, we have prepared the budget based on $57 per barrel. The whole idea is to allow the National Assembly to accept the benchmark or increase it to not more than $60 if they think it is necessary.

"Already, we have a working understanding with the National Assembly that the benchmark will not exceed $60(US) per barrel.

"We also have a five-dimension focus for the budget, covering development of key infrastructure; human capacity development; land reform; security; and Niger Delta.

"I cannot give you full details but that is the summary of our projections. When the budget is laid on Tuesday, you will have full contents."

The source added that the budget would be given a speedy consideration within three weeks.

The source said: "Despite the crisis in the National Assembly over the venue for the budget presentation, the President has extracted a commitment from the Senate and the House that it will be passed within three weeks.

"We hope that the two chambers will sink their differences and keep to their pledge."

The President is believed to have mandated Abba-Aji, to lay the budget before the two chambers - in line with Section 81 of the 1999 Constitution.

Investigation by The Nation revealed that the President opted for the option following irreconcilable positions of the two chambers over the choice of venue for the presentation of the budget by President Yar’Adua.

The source said: "The President can no longer tolerate a situation whereby the National Assembly will continue to disagree over a needless issue of budget presentation venue.

"So, the President has decided to invoke the relevant provision in the 1999 Constitution to lay the budget. Section 81 does not make it compulsory for him to be physically present.

"Both chambers of the National Assembly have been notified of the President’s decision.

"This option will calm frayed nerves and allow for reconciliation by the two chambers."

Sources in The Presidency confirmed, exclusively to The Nation last night that Abba-Aji has been directed to lay the budget.

One of the sources said: "Yes, I can confirm to you that Abba-Aji will be laying the 2010 budget before the two chambers on behalf of Mr. President.

"The document will be laid separately before the Senate and the House of Representatives on Tuesday morning.

The source explained that the Presidency arrived at the decision to "save time."

He added: "Mr. President is greatly disturbed that the Nigerian people are made to go through this delay for no fault of theirs.

"The President could no longer continue to keep Nigerians waiting. That is why he took a decisive step to save time.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Publicity, Mr. Eseme Eyiboh, said: "The budget will surely be presented to both Houses of the National Assembly."

Asked to be more forthcoming, he said: "The budget will be presented substantially in compliance with Section 81 of the 1999 Constitution.

"Section 81 does not make it compulsory for Mr. President to present the budget physically."

The president was to present the 2010 appropriation bill to the joint house last Thursday before the supremacy battle between the Senate and the House scuttled the scheduled budget presentation.

The Senate wanted the joint session of the National Assembly in its chamber, the House insisted its chamber is bigger and that the 10-year-old tradition of holding joint sessions there should be upheld.

The President called in the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but the intervention failed.

Source: The Nation