President Buhari seeks to present 2018 budget on November 7

-President Buhari to present 2018 budget draft to the National Assembly on November 7.

-The draft had been approved by the Federal Executive Council last Thursday, paving way for presentation to the National Assembly.

Executive set to present 2018 budget draft to the National Assembly as Buhari seeks to address a joint session of federal lawmakers. 

President Muhammadu Buhari has sought the consent of the National Assembly to present the 2018 budget before a joint session of the two chambers on Tuesday, 7th November.

In a letter read on the floor of the House on Thursday, the president declared his intention to present the budget at a joint session by 2 p.m.

The members of the green chamber however responded with a chant of no! no! no! after the president’s letter was read by the speaker of the house, Hon. Yakubu Dogara.

The house members were however reminded by the speaker, that they had no constitutional powers to stop the president from presenting the budget proposal.

The letter which was read on the floor of the House of Representatives reads thus:

“Pursuant to section 81 of the 1999 constitution, may I crave the kind indulgence of the National Assembly to grant me the slot of 1400hrs on Tuesday, 7th November 2017 to formally address a Joint Session and lay before the National Assembly the 2018 Budget Proposal.”

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“Please extend, Mr. Speaker, the assurances of my highest regards to the Honourable Members as I look forward to addressing the Joint Session.

Recall the last week’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting was shifted from its customary Wednesday to Thursday in order to work out details of the 2018 budget draft.

The council, thereafter at its meeting on Thursday, approved a draft copy of the country’s 2018 budget, paving the way for its presentation to the National Assembly for consideration.