Saraki Says Buhari’s Legislative Aide, Enang, Replaced ‘missing’ Budget With Different One

Source: thewillnigeria.com

SAN FRANCISCO, January 14, (THEWILL) – As controversy over what has become of the proposed 2016 budget continues, the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, on Thursday revealed that the original copy of the bill was removed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang, who replaced it with a copy different from the one ceremonially presented by President Muhammadu Buhari last December.

Speaking in plenary after a two-hour executive session of the senators, Saraki explained that “the Committee which was set up has investigated and the report shows that the Senior Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang had withdrawn the original copy and replaced with another one that has conflicting figures.”

Addressing newsmen after the brief session, Senate spokesman, Senator Aliyu Sabi insisted that the budget was not missing, but that Buhari's National Assembly aide withdrew the original one and replaced it with a copy that has different figures, stressing that the Senate Committee earlier set up to look into the matter discover some differences.

Sabi, who refused to specifically point out areas of differences as the committee has been detailed to further work on that, he said “I will not be able to point out in specifics areas of different, we should all be patient to see its outcome.

The Senate spokesman further pointed out that the upper chamber was interested in seeing the original copy which would be made available in soft copy so as to guide them in the course of doing their work.

According to him, “The Senate will make copies of original ones as presented to joint session by Mr. President and would work a according

“The presented copy has legal implications which the Senate has already taken cognizance, hence, they will be guided,” he stated.