NASS Empowered To Increase Budget Figures, Lawmaker Tells Falana

By Andah John

A member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives Sam Onuigbo believes the National Assembly did not err by increasing figures of  the 2017 budget as presented by President Muhummadu Buhari.

The lawmaker was responding to comments made by a constitutional lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) that the National Assembly illegally increased the 2017 budget presented by the president.

Falana, during last week’s colloquium organised by the Movement for Genuine Change to mark the 50th anniversary of the creation of Kwara State, argued that by increasing their share of the budget, the lawmakers erred constitutionally.

But the member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia constituency faulted Falana’s comment.

Onuigbo took his stand while speaking with journalists after the Thank You visit by the Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu to Ikwuano local government of the state over his triumph at the Supreme Court.

“When anything comes in as estimates, the National Assembly has the power of appropriation.

“But when anything also comes in as estimates, the person who has the power of appropriation reserves the right, if supported by circumstances or critical economic factor, either to increase or reduce the budget,” he said.

The lawmaker explained that section 81 of the constitution stipulates that the president shall cause to prepare and lay before each houses of National Assembly in each financial year, estimates of the revenues and expenditures of the federation for the next following year.

Onuigbo who, is the chairman House committee on Climate change, said that as far as budgeting was concerned, the power to appropriate resided on the National Assembly.