Saraki says Senate received 2 different versions of document

monjola sotubo

January 14, 2016 3:20 PM

Saraki made the clarification following reports that the budget had gone missing from the National Assembly.

Senate President, Bukola Saraki has said that the legislative chamber was presented with two different versions of the 2016 budget proposal, one by President Muhammadu Buhari and another by his Senior Special Adviser of National Assembly matters, Senator Ita Enang.

Saraki made the clarification following reports that the budget had gone missing from the National Assembly.

“Today, the Senate received the report of the ad hoc committee setup to investigate the claims of the ‪#‎MissingBudget2016,” the Senate President wrote via his Facebook page today, January 14, 2016.

“The report of the committee revealed that the Senate received two versions of the 2016 Appropriation Bill – one from President Muhammadu Buhari at the December 22nd, 2015 Joint Session of the National Assembly, and another from the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang.

"The Senate will only accept the version of the appropriation bill that was presented by the President,” he added.

The Senate had, on Wednesday, January 13, 2016, set up a committee to investigate reports of the document going missing.

The Presidency had earlier been accused of withdrawing the budget but it denied the claims.

monjola sotubo