This was the result of an executive session held by the senators to discuss the way forward on the 2016 budget impasse at the start of Thursday’s sitting.
Sources in the Senate told the Nigerian Tribune that the lawmakers had a stormy session during the executive session, leading to many members of the Appropriation Committee revealing that they did not see the final document of the budget before it was sent to the president.
Sources also said that a number of senators called for the removal of the chairman of appropriation committee, Senator Danjuma Goje, for his failure to do a good job on the Appropriation Bill and handing the budget over to the chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Honourable Abdumumin Jibril.
The senators, it was gathered, had an explosive session inside, but as usual, they later calmed down and made resolutions.
The Senate had resolved to send a delegation to the president to persuade him to sign the budget, in view of the fact that the National Assembly was already constrained by Section 59(4) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
The section only recognises that the budget, once passed to the president, cannot be returned and that if the president refuses assent within 30 days, the lawmakers are expected to vote for an override of the veto.
The section which deals with “Mode of Exercising Federal Legislative Power: Money Bills” stated that “where the president, within 30 days after the presentation of the bill to him, fails to signify his assent or where he withholds assent, then the bill shall again be presented to the National Assembly sitting at a joint meeting, and if passed by two-thirds majority of members of both Houses at such joint meeting, the bill shall become law and the assent of the president shall not be required.”
A source said the only option open to the National Assembly was to persuade the president to sign the budget as passed, while he was required to present a supplementary budget to take care of all gray areas.
It was gathered that the Ministry of Budget and National Planning had already submitted a list of the gray areas to the leadership of the National Assembly at different meetings last week.
Sources at the executive session in the Senate said the senators were angry that only a handful members of the Committee on Appropriation saw the final copy of the budget presented to the president.
“Many of the senators, who spoke at the session, were said to have expressed disappointment that they did not see the final copy of the budget before it was sent to the president,” a source said.
It was also gathered that the lawmakers had reviews all the gray areas submitted by the budget office and had resolved to accommodate them through a supplementary budget to be submitted by President Buhari.
Following the disapproval of the way the budget was handled by the Appropriation Committee in the Senate, it was gathered that senators openly called for Senator Goje to step down. The sitting lasted two hours.
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who briefed the Senate after the closed session, said one major topic on the agenda was the 2016 Appropriation Bill.
He said: “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 going budget impasse.”
The senators were said to have realised that time was running fast, in view of the constitutionally guaranteed 30 days allowed the president to withhold his assent.
They also observed that once the budget is not signed after 30 days, it would be assumed that he had vetoed the bill and that the National Assembly would have no options than to override the president’s veto.
But speaking to newsmen on Thursday, Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, said that the Senate, at closed session, did not ask Danjuma to resign as Appropriation chairman.
He said: “Nobody should expect me, on my honour, to disclose details of what we discussed in closed session. It is not true that we asked the chairman of the Senate Committee, Senator Goje to resign. That is not what we discussed. Goje was appointed and he could only be removed by a vote of no confidence. We can only ask the elected officers of the Senate to resign, not chairmen of committees. For a chairman that was appointed, we can decide to appoint another one, we can swap chairmen, we change their responsibilities.
“We have seen the president already on the budget, in fact, meeting the president by the Senate leadership is not a big deal.
“It is not true that the budget had been sent back to the National Assembly. I am also not aware that there is any communication from the president on the issue.
“What I know is that areas of concern to the Presidency are now with us here. We are talking with the Presidency to resolve all the issues.”
On the purchase of the 36 cars by the Senate, Ndume insisted that the cars were project vehicles aimed to aid the work of the senators.
He said: “I think it is being overflogged. I say it several times. We are senators and these cars are not being bought for our personal usage. They are meant for the committees to do their work.
“A minister who is appointed, not elected, drives a convoy of four cars. Permanent Secretaries, Directors, Commissioners, House of Assembly members and councils chairmen all drive official vehicles. Are you all saying federal lawmakers should not have an official vehicle?
“As a senator, I can ride in any means of transportation, including Keke NAPEP, if it will take me to my destination.
“I am privileged to be the Senate Leader and there are some privileges attached to that office. Am I supposed to strip that because of sentiments?
“My constituents are happy with me even if I am given 10 cars.”
Also, on Thursday, the Senate inaugurated the 12 member peace committee raised to review the composition of the leadership of the Senate.
The Senate had, on Wednesday, constituted a committee to review the composition of standing committees and the leadership of the chamber, in line with equity and fairness.
While inaugurating the committee, Ndume said the committee was to resolve all the issues outside and within the Senate.
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