Lawmakers boo Buhari, call him liar during 2019 budget presentation

Lawmakers of the National Assembly openly jeered and booed President Muhammadu Buhari during the presentation of the 2019 appropriation bill.

The president proposed an N8.83 trillion 2019 budget to a joint session of the National Assembly in Abuja on Wednesday, December 19, 2018.

Many lawmakers were heard openly booing the president while he delivered his opening speech about the achievements of his administration.

There were shouts of disapproval when the president said the nation's economy and security have improved under his administration.

"Lies!" some lawmakers responded.

"May I appeal to the honourable members that the world is watching us and we're supposed to be above this," President Buhari cautioned before he continued to more jeers.

When he said his administration had fought corruption, many could be heard saying, "What corruption?" while other lawmakers stood to clap for the president to drown out the boos.

President Muhammadu Buhari presents the 2019 budget to a joint session of the National Assembly on December 19, 2018 (Twitter/@BashirAhmaad) Pulse Nigeria

Before the president made his entrance into the lower chamber of the National Assembly, two members of the House of Representatives, Bashir Babale and Duoye Diri, were engaged in a physical confrontation.

A few other lawmakers were also involved in heated debates shortly before the president's arrival.

When he entered the chamber, some opposition lawmakers sang in protest while lawmakers on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) chanted "Sai Baba".

At the end of his presentation on Wednesday, APC lawmakers kept chanting "Sai Baba", "Four more years" to drown out the protest songs being chanted by opposition lawmakers.

Some of the anti-Buhari lawmakers also raised placards in protest against the president who recently turned 76 and is seeking re-election in the 2019 presidential election.

The rowdiness of the lawmakers prevented House Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, from making the closing remark and the session was brought to an abrupt end.