President of the CD, Ifeanyi Odili, told our correspondent in Abuja that the senate president should not take Nigerians for a ride by reneging on his earlier pledge to make the fiscal document of the federal parliament open for all to see.
He said, “He (Saraki), made this promise two months ago when the national budget was still hanging. We expect him as a gentleman, to live up to his promise since the President, Muhammadu Buhari has signed into law, the 2016 budget.
“It would be fraudulent on the part of the National Assembly not to give the break down of its annual budget if the presidency could give a break down of its annual budget for the Presidential Villa.
“We view such action as the height of indiscipline, lawlessness and legislative rascality for the federal legislature not to give its own break down.
“What the National Assembly should have at the back of its mind is that the money appropriated to the National Assembly, is our commonwealth and they owe it as a duty to be accountable to the real owners of this money.
“With the current campaigns against corruption, the National Assembly should not be above board or sacred arm of government that cannot be queried.
“Now that Buhari has signed into law, the 2016 budget, it is therefore a matter of national interest for the senate president to live up to its promise that he was going to give details of this year’s budget.
“Failure which he will be tagged “apostle of corruption and indiscipline. He should begin to see that accountability and responsiveness have become the order of the day.”
It will be recalled that Saraki, over two months ago, expressed the determination of the National Assembly, to make details of its annual budget available to members of the public, next week
Saraki said the development will be a departure from the tradition of having one line item budget by the federal parliament.
Saraki, according to a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Muhammed Isa, stated this while hosting a team of editors from the London based, The Economist newspaper.
He had said, “For the first time we promised Nigerians to give out our budget breakdown. The committee will make its report available by next week. We are resolved to break the tradition of one line item.”
He also pledged to support the Buhari’s administration’s fight against corruption.
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