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Supremacy war: Yar’Adua
sends 2010 budget bill to N’Assembly
From AMOS DUNIA and JAMES OJO, Abuja
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
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Yar’Adua
•Photo: Sun News Publishing |
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After about six days of supremacy war between the Senate and House
of Representatives over venue for the 2010 Appropriation Bill, the
Presidency may have finally resolved to find a middle way cut in
addressing the issue.
This followed the resolve of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua
to send the budget through his Special Adviser on National Assembly
Matters, Senator Mohammed Abba-Aji to be laid in the two chambers
of the federal legislature.
It was, however, gathered that as soon as the decision was arrived
at, President Yar’Adua departed for Saudi Arabia for routine
medical checkup.
President Yar’Adua was expected to have presented the 2010
budget before the joint session of the National Assembly last Thursday
but had to shelve the assignment because of the insistence of the
President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, who is also the chairman
of the National Assembly, to hold the session in the Senate’s
red chamber.
The development immediately attracted reaction from members of the
House of Representatives, who argued that the Senate chamber was
not large enough to contain both the senators and members of the
House of Representatives, and those that might accompanied Yar’Adua
for the presentation.
Daily Sun gathered that the Presidency resolved to get all issues
involved in the supremacy war resolved by following laid down process
in line with provisions of the constitution, while avoiding direct
involvement in the crisis.
In that wise, it was agreed that President Yar’Adua should
in accordance with the provision of the constitution cause the budget
to be laid in the two chambers of the National Assembly, which the
Senate opted for as against reversing its decision not to go into
the green chamber of the National Assembly for the presentation
of the budget.
It was also gathered that the Senate’s Order Paper for today
(Tuesday) which was earlier prepared for deliberation had to be
amended to allow for the suspension of its rules to enable the Special
Adviser to Yar’Adua to lay the budget before the Senate.
Daily Sun further gathered that as soon as the budget is laid by
Senator Abba-Aji, the Senate would immediately take it for first
reading after which copies of the budget would then be circulated
to the senators for their perusal and subsequent legislative action.
Meanwhile, the PDP Elders Committee chaired by Senator Ike Nwachukwu
commenced meeting with the leadership of the two houses of the National
Assembly with a view to resolving impasse between the two chambers.
It was also gathered that the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Honourable Dimeji Bankole, who was understood not to have spoken
on the matter since last week may have reached out to some elderly
senators and prominent members of the PDP Elders Committee towards
amicable resolution of the crisis.
Daily Sun confirmed on Monday night from the Spokesman of the House
of Representatives, Hon Eseme Eyiboh that the 2010 budget would
be presented today [Tuesday] to the National Assembly.
“I can confirm to you that we will receive the 2010 budget
from the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria, Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua tomorrow Tuesday.
“This will, however, be with substantial compliant with Section
81 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic ,” he
stated.
Eyiboh said that with strict compliance with the letters of the
Section 81, the issue of joint sitting of the House and the Senate
to receive the budget estimates from the President does not arise.
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