THE South-West leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP has described the planned presentation of the 2013 Budget of Osun State to the House of Assembly tomorrow by the State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola as illegal and exposure of the falsehood of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) government in the State.
The party queried which budget Aregbesola would be presenting tomorrow, saying the State Commissioner for Special Duties and Regional Integration, Mr. Ajibola Basiru, has earlier claimed that the budget was presented before December 31, 2012 as stipulated by law.
Zonal Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Hon Kayode Babade, who made this known in a statement issued today, said it was being announced on the Osun State Radio that the State 2013 Budget will be presented tomorrow, Tuesday, January 22, 2013.
He said the announcement was at variance with the claim of Mr. Ajibola Basiru who was reported to have said on January 2, 2013 that; “What is stipulated by law is that the budget must be laid before the House before December 31 and this we have done.”
Basiru went on to say that; “Reading the budget before the House is ceremonial; it is not compulsory or binding by law.”
The PDP said in the statement issued today that the constitution was clear on when a governor could present budget proposals to the House of Assembly.
The statement read, “On January 1, 2013, we alerted the public that Aregbesola was yet to present his 2013 budget proposal to the state House of Assembly as demanded by the constitution.
“Then, Aregbesola’s men rose in his defence, claiming that the budget had been presented to the House and that it was not compulsory that the governor must present the budget personally.
“However, contrary to this claim, the budget is slated to be presented tomorrow and we ask; who is the liar between Aregbesola’s men and us?
“Again, can a Budget presented in flagrant disregard for the constitution be lawful?
“We are therefore waiting for the illegality to be perpetrated tomorrow as planned after which the next line of action will be taken.”