YOU ARE UNPATRIOTIC, BUHARI TELLS DOGARA, SARAKI

Nigeria Assembly News

YOU ARE UNPATRIOTIC, BUHARI TELLS DOGARA, SARAKI

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YOU ARE UNPATRIOTIC, BUHARI TELLS DOGARA, SARAKI

President Muhammadu Buhari described as unpatriotic the action of the Senator Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara-led National Assembly in terms of the handling of the budget.

The president spoke during a special interview broadcast on the Nigerian Television Authority on Monday, May 27.

The president spoke about the delayed budget saying he spoke directly with Saraki and Dogara of his displeasure.

The president said: “I think a culture was developed in the National Assembly that they should dictate the terms, which was wrong. It is the executive that dictates the terms and takes it before the legislature. It (the legislature) will examine it and agree or disagree with it.

“But when they go around posing that they are the government and not the executive, then that’s the problem. I felt and I spoke personally to the Senate President, Saraki, and the leader of the House, Dogara. They could not deny it.

“I asked them how they felt to hold the country at ransom for seven months without passing a budget. Unfortunately, they were not hurting me; they were hurting the country. So, really, in terms of patriotism, I think I rated them very low indeed.”

“But to hold a budget for seven months cannot be justified if you really bother about the country.”

Recall that President Buhari on Monday, May 27, in Abuja signed the 2019 budget into law.

The National Assembly had earlier passed the 2019 Budget of N8.92trn, as against N8.83trn presented by President Buhari on December 18, 2018.

According to The Nation, the increase of N90bn in the budget was to cater for security challenges in the country, packages for lawmakers and support for Zamfara state.

But signing the budget on Monday, President Buhari reportedly faulted the increase in the budget, which introduced new projects.