Following the approval of the 2018 budget estimates by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) last week, fresh concerns have emerged over the propriety of the Executive’s action.
This is even as there are strong indications that the Federal Government may not fulfill its promise of presenting the 2018 Budget in October, with just two days to the end of the month.
This comes as the Executive may have flouted the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007 which provides that the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF)/ Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) shall be the basis upon which the annual budget is prepared by the Executive.
Although President Muhammadu Buhari had forwarded the 2018 to 2020 MTEF/FSP to a joint session of the National Assembly on October 17 for approval, both legislative chambers are yet to consider it.
Checks by BDSUNDAY revealed that as of Friday, October 27, the Executive is yet to communicate with the National Assembly on a date for the presentation of the appropriation bill.
A source in the National Assembly who spoke on condition of anonymity, declared FEC’s approval of the 2018 budget as ‘illegal, null and void’.
Citing Section 18 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, the source said the MTEF/FSP out to have been approved and sent back to the Executive before it prepares the budget.
This, he insisted, is like putting the cart before the horse. Section 18 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act states that: “Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Act or any other law, the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework shall: (1) be the basis for the preparation of the estimates of revenue and expenditure required to be prepared and laid before the National Assembly under section 81 (1) of the Constitution.
“(2) The sectoral and compositional distribution of the estimates of expenditure referred to in subsection (1) of this section shall be consistent with the medium term developmental priorities set out in the Medium Term expenditure Framework”.
Another source posited that the same budget crisis that marred the 2017 budget could rare its head in this year’s appropriation bill if things are not done properly.
“You will recall that the same scenario played out in the 2017 budget presentation where the President presented the budget at a time the two chambers were still considering MTEF. By the time the document was finally approved by the National Assembly, what they approved was different from the parameters the budget was predicated upon; thus setting the stage for a major crisis between both arms of government”, the source who did not want his name mentioned told BDSUNDAY.
Also, the protest by principal officers of the National Assembly over their treatment by security operatives on Thursday at the Presidential Villa led to the postponement of the presidential dinner, as the principal officers stormed out of the premises and boycotted a dinner with the President.
It was gathered that the meeting would have provided opportunity to both arms of government to arrive on a mutually agreed date to present the 2018 budget to a joint session of both legislative chambers.
The meeting has now been rescheduled for Tuesday, October 31, 2017, which is the last legislative sitting day for the month.
What this implies is that the 2018 Budget will now be presented in November, as against the October promise given by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun and her counterpart in Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma at different fora.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, admitted that there was an ‘incident involving overzealous operatives’, adding that the President had ordered investigation into the matter.
According to him, when the President was informed about the development, he hurriedly sent his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, to go and make peace with the lawmakers.
Those who are familiar with the matter told BDSUBDAY that when the Chief of Staff arrived the Senate President’s residence on Thursday night, all the principal officers had left, leaving only Saraki and Dogara behind. He later persuaded the duo back to the Villa for a private dinner with the President.
The presidential spokesman said the President had expressed his apologies to the presiding officers at the private dinner.
“The Senate President and the Speaker returned and they just finished dinner with the President. President Buhari has apologised to them,” he said.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, disclosed that the Presidential dinner with principal officers of the National Assembly has been rescheduled for Tuesday, October 31, 2017.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
