Newspapers report this morning that the President finally signed the 2013 Budget after weeks of thorny negotiations with the National Assembly. Punch Newspaper reports the members of the State House press corps were called in to witness the signing in ceremony only for them to be told later that the budget had been signed and were then communicated via a press release.
I find that rather strange as signing of a Nations budget should never be done in a clandestine no matter how innocuous the motives are. it does seem however that the contentious issue of constituency projects must have been settled in favour of the members of the house of representatives as the president signed the N4.987trillion bill signed by the National Assembly. However, GEJ’s special adviser (Abati) in his press statement mentions that
“As part of the understanding reached with its leadership, the observations of the executive arm of government about the Appropriation Bill as passed by the National Assembly will be further considered by the National Assembly through legislative action, to ensure effective and smooth implementation of the 2013 Appropriation Act in all aspects”
This suggest the National Assembly may pass some amendment to the bill in no distant future.