The National Assembly were set last night for a meeting with President Buhari. This was primarily to settle the stand-off between the Presidency and the Senate as regards ‘grey’ areas in the as yet unsigned 2016 budget.
According to some reports, the senate could go ahead and override the President’s veto power over the bill. The override could be carried out as soon as Tuesday after the 30-day lapse of the constitutional window given the President to sign the bill which ends tomorrow.
This threat according to the Vanguards was made in a closed-door session of the Senate who were reportedly angered by alleged actions of chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Danjuma Goje in manipulating the inputs of the Senate committees on the budget. The Vanguard reports that several senators demanded Goje’s resignation from the position.
The proposed veto override the Senate claims is constitutionally sound as it is in line with the provision of the constitution which compels the President to sign the budget within 30 days of receiving it.
A Vanguard source spoke on the deliberations that went on as to the budget impasse and the discussions involving the veto override.
He said “We have decided to go and beg President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the budget into law and after which every other correction and amendment will be done,
“We have resolved that time is ticking and if he fails to sign it within the stipulated thirty days in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria it will be assumed that the President has withheld his assent and the National Assembly will have no other
option than to override him, thereby furthering the conflict between the Executive and the Legislature.”
With the closed-door session done, Deputy Senate President Ekweremadu spoke on the proceedings, saying “The Senate in a closed session deliberated on issues relating to the 2016 Appropriation Bill and the way forward for the quick resolution of all the matters related to the early implementation of the budget in the best interest of our nation.”