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As Executive and Legislature bickers over the implementation of the 2017 budget, President Muhammadu Buhari met with leadership of the National Assembly Thursday evening to plead with the law makers over the 2018 budget.
This is just as the President was said to have summoned the Minister of Justice and attorney general of the Federation, Abubakar Malami to explain his position of the Mainagate saga.
Malami, Business Day sources at the Presidential Villa, revealed, met with the President separately before the Federal Executive Council meeting held on Thursday to explain his position on the issue.
Business Day also gathered that the President who felt very embarrassed with the Maina issue, has continued to seek expert opinion on the best way to resolve the matter.
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Since the report from the Head of Service of the Federation on the issue was received on Monday by the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, Business Day gathered that those fingered in the recall of Maina has been making frantic efforts to exonerate from the issue.
It was however not immediately clear what was discussed but BusinessDay Sources said Malami who gave the clearance for his reinstatement has made efforts to justify his action.
It was also gathered that the decision of the President will be made known soon so as to allow the matter rest.
” I can tell you that the President is gathering all necessary information about the issue and will make his position known soon”
The meeting between the President and leadership of the National Assembly, though said to be part of a normal routine, Business Day gathered that it was not unconnected with threats by the lawmakers not to touch the budget until issues around the 2017 budget implementations are resolved.
The Senate is said to be unhappy about claims by Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun that 50% of the 2017 budget is going to be rolled over to 2018 as only 50 % of the 2017 budget will be implemented this year.
The senate said it means that the 2018 budget will be jacked N10 trillion in 2018.
The Minister had last week alleged that the Senate had refused to approve its borrowing plans
But the Senate President, Bukola Saraki in his reaction had declared that “There is no request before us about borrowing that we have not approved. We approved all the requests before we went on break. I needed to make this explanation because of what the Minister of Finance said that the National Assembly is holding on to borrowing requests sent by the executive,”
The impasse, Business Day gathered is currently responsible for the inability of both parties to agree on the actual date for the presentation of the 2018 budget, which was approved Thursday.
Tony Ailemen
