Don't sign the 2017 budget - Falana tells acting President

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana has advised Acting President

Falana made this known while speaking in Ilorin, during a colloquium organised by the Movement for Genuine Change.

The human right activist also said though President Muhammadu Buhari is not competent to sign the appropriation bill into law because he is on vacation, the VP should not be pressurised into signing the budget.

In his words: “The President is not competent to sign any bill into law while he is on vacation. The constitution did not envisage that a President who is on a vacation and an acting president, who is standing proxy for him will be exercising presidential powers simultaneously.

“To that extent, pending the resumption of duties by President Buhari, the Acting President, Prof. Osinbajo, is competent to sign all bills validly passed by the NASS.

“If President Buhari did not exercise powers during his vacation even though he was in the country, why would he want to do so while he is on medical vacation abroad?

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“Instead of dissipating energy over the competence of an appropriation bill signed into law by the Acting President, Nigerians should subject the 2017 budget to scrutiny.

“We are therefore calling on the Acting President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who is a professor of law not to endorse and sign the illegal appropriation bill of 2017 into law.”

Falana also condemned any attempt to truncate Nigeria’s democracy and urged Buratai to properly investigate the coup rumour and prosecute the culprits.