The Federal Government has debunked rumor making the rounds that that President Muhammadu Buhari may have withdrawn the 2016 budget.
Minister of Information and Culture, Mr. Lai Mohammed dispelled widespread speculations on reports of alleged withdrawal of the budget currently awaiting passage by the National Assembly.
Mr. Mohammed said there were reports in a section of the media that the 2016 Appropriation Bill was recalled from the National Assembly, (NASS), following fears of irreconcilable fiscal projections.
It was alleged that the President never digested the controversial N6.08 trillion budget before presenting it on December 22, 2015. According to the reports, after receiving public backlash, Buhari was forced to secretly withdraw the budget and is expected to present it again before the end of January.
Speaking in the same vein, Senate Leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume said it is impossible to withdraw the budget, but that it could be adjusted.
According to Ndume, it was impossible to withdraw the budget, noting that it could only be adjusted during its defence at the National Assembly.
“It is not a document that you can just write and say you are withdrawing it. The budget proposal that has been laid at a joint session of the National Assembly cannot just be withdrawn like that. Budget proposal is not a document that is sacrosanct. You can adjust it and this is why it is before us. During the budget defence, it can be adjusted if need be,” he said.
Ndume disclosed that the budget defence would start as soon as the lawmakers resume from their Christmas and New Year break on January 12.
“It is then that they can add or do whatever they want on it, but it cannot be withdrawn like that,” Ndume said.