We’ll stop passage of 2014 budget, APC Reps insist •Blast APGA, Accord Party, LP for supporting PDP •Why APC NEC opted to block budget, ministerial screening

THE All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus in the House of Representatives, on Wednesday, said it would go ahead with the party’s directive on 2014 budget estimate consideration, saying all arsenal would be deployed to stop the passage of the budget estimates.

The APC caucus in the House also picked holes in the budget estimates currently awaiting consideration as a budget that had no effect on Nigerians.

The minority leader in the House, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, while briefing newsmen, said “we will not support a budget that does nothing for the people we represent.

“We will not rubber stamp a budget that seeks to borrow more money at ridiculous rates and further impoverish the country. Indeed, we refuse to support a budget that comes in with a huge deficit.”

The APC caucus, however said “in coming to this decision, we note that salaries of many innocent Nigerians are tied to the budget.

“However, we will do all we can to address this. We will hope that our progressive colleagues will agree to an ingenious and creative idea like we did through the doctrine of necessity to isolate the recurrent expenditure and, perhaps for the first time, pass a recurrent budget only.

“This is just one idea. We are open to many more from all Nigerians who see the end goal and understand it.”

According to him, “we certainly do not agree with a budget that allocates a pitiable 25 per cent for capital expenditure, which capital component will only be implemented 30 per cent, whilst recurrent will be implemented 100 per cent. How in the world do you stimulate an economy the size and population of Nigeria with a 25 per cent allocation to capital?

“We cannot in good conscience support a budget that comes with a benchmark and siphons away 30 per cent of the country’s revenue into an illegal excess crude account, in violation of the provisions of Section 162 of the constitution we individually swore to defend, with the resultant effect of shortchanging the states we all individually represent.

“A budget where the economics do not trickle down to the common man. We do not want to be accessories after the fact by passing a budget when the president or Minister of Finance, who publicly admitted to the disappearance of $10 billion has not given explanations, but seeks to borrow more money and continues to blame shortfall in revenue on crude theft by some phantom thieves.

“We refuse to participate in what has become an annual ritual and approving a document in the name of passing a budget that tells a lie about the true state of our finances and liquidity and where our revenue is being deflated by about N500 billion annually through the fraudulent and indiscriminate grant of waivers.

“More importantly, we will not be party to the appropriation of funds and taxpayers’ money to a police force that will turn around and use same to maim and kill the same taxpayers. No, we will not.”

He added that “as far as the House is concerned, keen observers would have noticed that since last year, most bills presented on the floor of the House through the PDP leader [Honourable Mulikat Adeola] have suffered an almost instant and premature death.

“The kick against such bills came from mostly APC members and progressive members within the rank and file of the PDP.”

Gbajabiamila, however, said “good governance is the end goal and filibustering or stalling executive bills is the means and we believe that in this case, the end definitely justifies the means.”

While kicking against the new friendship between PDP and other political parties, the APC caucus said “we note with bemusement that those who have come out with guns blazing to criticise our most patriotic decision are PDP apologists such as All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Labour Party, among others.

“These are groups that pretend to have a separate identity but are inextricably joined to the hips with the PDP.”

To this end, the APC caucus maintained that “we advise that the sooner they stopped deceiving Nigerians and merge with the PDP, the better for Nigerians, so that a clear choice between two political parties can be made in 2015 by an increasingly oppressed and fatigued electorate.”

Senators pick holes in 2014 budget
Senators who spoke on the second day of budget 2014 consideration picked holes in the document, on Wednesday, with many of them calling on the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to refocus the budget towards people-oriented projects.

Senator Smart Adeyemi said though a budget could not be 100 per cent perfect, the penchant of the Minister of Finance for pilling up foreign reserves at the expense of infrastructural development was faulty.

According to him, Nigeria does not need commendations of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) because of growing foreign reserves, while jobs were not being created locally.

Senator Olusola Adeyeye also accused the finance minister of confusing Nigerians with “foreign economic jargons,” which, he said, could not bring benefits to the people.

Senator Odion Ugbesia, however, urged lawmakers to maintain an open mind in considering the budget.

“We should use the opportunity of this budget process to redefine the role of executive and legislature as it relates to designs and implementation of budgets,” he said.

Senator Ita Enang carpeted the legislature for being part of the causes of budget failures, adding that “loss of revenue is due to the failure of the National Assembly to ensure the implementation of the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which mandates us to consider and pass the budgets.”

Why APC NEC opted to block budget
Further details emerged on Wednesday as to why the leadership of APC opted for budget blockade at its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on January 23.

Sources close to the NEC meeting confirmed to the Nigerian Tribune that a former minister, who is a top member of the party, had suggested that the APC should pursue the option of seeking the impeachment of President Goodluck Jonathan.

It was confirmed that two options were on the table and the camp of former governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Tinubu, opposed the motion tabled for the impeachment of the president.

“There were two motions on the floor at the NEC meeting. One of the former ministers had moved that the APC should pursue the impeachment of President Jonathan, while another top member suggested that we should block the government.

“But we discovered that it was better to seek a blockade of the government rather than seek to impeach him.”

It was gathered that the motion calling for the impeachment of the president had to be stood down.

According to sources, the motion for impeachment was opposed because the removal of Jonathan would pave the way for Vice President Namadi Sambo, adding that such a situation would create two northern candidates in 2015.

The APC, the source said, would not be comfortable with two northern candidates for the general election, as it would affect its projection.

Another source said the decision to block government processes was strategically taken, as only four members of the National Assembly were invited to participate at the NEC.