Breaking: Buhari to present 2018 budget on Nov 7, Reps kick against move

President Buhari will present the 2018 to the National Assembly on Nov 7.

According to news sources, the information was contained in a letter read to the Senate and House òf Representatives on Thursday. The president also informed the the National Assembly that he will present the budget as part of his address to the joint session of the Senate and the House of Reps on Nov 7

Ccording to media reports, Shouts of thunderous “no, no” filled the legislative chamber of the House of Representatives at Thursday plenary when the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara announced the intention of President Muhammadu Buhari to address a joint session of the National Assembly alongside the presentation of 2018 budget estimate.

The speaker, Yakubu Dogara, attempted to douse the tension. In his remarks, he said: ‘I wish we have the constitutional right to say no. But unfortunately, we don’t have it…This House is the custodian of the constitution. The President has the right…”

This is arguably the first time President Buhari would be presenting the national budget proposal before the National Assembly in the month of November since his assumption of office in 2015. The month of December has always witnessed the annual ritual prior to now. Many people are however of the view that the new development was to accelerate legislative input to the budget estimates to ensure its timely passage in the fiscal year.