President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly ordered for a downward review of the 2016 budget following the indignation and ire which had trailed the billions of Naira allocated to the Presidency in the budget.
According to reports, the president was angered at the bashing he was receiving over the billions allocated to his office that of his vice, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, as well as Aso Rock as a whole.
Details provided by Nigeria’s budget office shows that the presidency got N19billion.
Further details on the presidential budget are as follows: State House headquarters – N12billion; President’s operations – N1.9billion; Vice President’s operations – N322million; Chief of Staff – N2.3million; Chief Security Officer – N3.2million; Lagos liaison office – N127million; State House medical centre – N3.9billion; Feeding N445million.
Most of the figures are higher to allocations budgeted for same departments in recent years under President Goodluck Jonathan.
Reacting, Buhari’s His Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu had on Monday admitted that some figures in the budget were new.
“Some of these figures being quoted are strange to us.” Shehu stated.
According to him, the Ministry of Budget and Planning have been instructed to look through the figures.
Shehu advised the media to exercise patience until the federal legislature gets the details of the budget.
“When the National Assembly returns from recess, the lawmakers will be given the full estimates of the budget, including what is voted for each department, ministries and agencies. What is voted for the State House will also be included,” Shehu said.
According to a source within the Presidency who stated that “The president became alarmed when his attention was called to the fact that the figures were higher to that of his predecessor, whom he criticised. He also demanded explanation on some of the allocations in view of the economic crisis.
“Expect a reduced figure. I can’t speculate by how much, but things not really necessary will either be slashed or outrightly expunged,” he said.
Buhari had on December 22, 2015 presented a budget estimate of N6.08 trillion to a joint sitting of the National Assembly.
Some parts of the budget have attracted criticisms from many Nigerians, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and even members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).