Federal lawmakers in Nigeria have raised concerns over the 2024 appropriation bill presentation by President Bola Tinubu, alleging that he submitted an empty box without backup documents during the joint parliamentary session on Wednesday.
Two lawmakers, speaking anonymously to the Peoples Gazette, expressed frustration over the lack of detailed information on the proposed budget, calling it detrimental to the social contract between the parliament, the presidency, and the people of Nigeria.
According to one lawmaker, “No lawmakers can say they have seen what the president presented to the National Assembly on Wednesday.”
Tekedia Mini-MBA edition 14 (June 3 – Sept 2, 2024) begins registrations; get massive discounts with early registration here.
Tekedia AI in Business Masterclass opens registrations here.
Join Tekedia Capital Syndicate and invest in Africa’s finest startups here.
“They made us debate the matter yesterday (Thursday) and today (Friday) without showing us the facts and figures of the president’s proposals. This is unfortunate for the federal republic,” he told Peoples Gazette.
Another legislator said that Nigerians should demand transparency and accountability, urging the president to present all details before the National Assembly, which holds the power of appropriation.
“Nigerians should cry out and ask the president and his people when they would tell us what happened to his 2024 budget.
“He needs to present everything before us because we have the power of appropriation as members of the National Assembly,” the lawmaker said.
Both lawmakers spoke anonymously to avoid potential repercussions from the ethics committee of the assembly. One of them cited ties to the president as a reason for not openly commenting on the matter, fearing it could strain relations with the presidency.
Rumor went out on Friday about the incident after Yusuf Galambi, another federal lawmaker, accused President Tinubu of sending empty boxes without the 2024 budget to the National Assembly. In an interview with BBC Hausa Service, Galambi expressed confusion and labeled the situation as deceitful, questioning why the president presented the budget without providing the accompanying documents.
The legislators criticized Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other principal officers for allegedly allowing the president to present an overhead summary without the detailed breakdown traditionally provided in bulky paperwork.
President Tinubu presented a proposed appropriation of N27.6 trillion on September 29 but omitted the detailed breakdown to avoid scrutiny ahead of crucial votes. Lawmakers engaged in debates on Thursday and Friday without having access to the budget details, further deepening their frustration.
This incident comes amid historical challenges in Nigeria’s annual appropriation season, known for controversies and sharp practices.
President Tinubu’s failure to present a budget document to the parliament days after reading from it on live television has sparked serious concerns, drawing parallels to the public ridicule faced by the country in 2016 when a budget document presented by President Muhammadu Buhari was allegedly stolen, leading to a prolonged conflict between the parliament and the presidency.
The 2024 appropriation bill has passed second reading in the House, raising concerns about the diligence and effectiveness of Nigerian lawmakers in fulfilling their oversight responsibilities.