Buhari’s budget speech: The President betrayed his crass ignorance of democratic governance and frustration

A member of the House of Representatives, representing Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency in Rivers State and Chairman Public Accounts Committee ( PAC) in the House, Rep. Kingsley Chinda has said that President Muhammadu Buhari in his budget speech betrayed his crass ignorance of democratic governance and frustration.

Buhari had during the signing of 2018 appropriation bill into law, alleged that the National Assembly cut expenditure of some vital projects and increase its own budget.

Reacting to the allegation, Hon. Chinda opined that upon seeing the budget, rather than going ahead and append his signature, he (Buhari) should have invited the leadership of NASS and call for explanation.

“He rather went for cheap blackmail to invite Nigerians against NASS, especially those of us from the South. Mr. President must realise that no cut was made in the proposal he sent without a reason.

“Anyway, NASS has powers under S.81 of the constitution to add or remove. This was the decision of Justice Gariel Kolawole in Suit No. FHC/ CS/ 259 /2014

“Let Mr. President also tell Nigerians the capital projects that were increased. Most of the additional projects are the intervention projects sent to MDAs as part of their budgets, Hon. Chinda explained.