Interview: Buhari’s aide opens up on 2016 budget padding, PIB, others (video)

Ita Enang, the senior special assistant (SSA) to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly matters (Senate) has reacted to different issues surrounding the apex chamber and the executive. In this interview with Chinenye Ugonna of NAIJ.com, he stated his opinions on the relationship between the Senate and the executive.

Enang in this interview also spoke on his thoughts on budget padding, the Petroleum Industry bill among other things. He however urged Nigerians to support Buhari on his fight to end corruption and his strict implementation on things. Read and watch full interview below.

What is your overview of the executive and Senate relationship so far?

The relationship has been cordial. It has been very warm but it depends. Some members of the public will have a different opinion depending on which side they stand. But on the question of separation of powers, each of them has exercised the powers vested on them without prejudice that each of them has. The President has a budget, he brings it because the constitution says he should bring it here. The legislature passes the budget, they send it back to the executive.

They have nominations and screening, the constitution says send it here, and they will, then after screening and passage, they will send it to the President. There is no measure of the President that has suffered any delay on the floor of the Senate or House of Representatives. Therefore the relationship is cordial. When it is not cordial, you will see some executive measures suffering some measures or delay but in all that we had, the budget, the supplementary budget, the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, screening of the nominees, ambassadorial nominees, the bills.

Remember the legislature introduced a bill extending the implementation of the bill from December 31 to March 31 2016 and the executive did not say no, I did not introduce it, they signed it, believing that the legislature are made up of 360 intelligent Nigerians representing all the constituencies in the House of Representatives and 109 senators 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). In a situation where you have disputes and disagreements, you will not have that happening. There is a question of mutual respect so the relationship has been very beautiful.

READ ALSO: Senate forgery: I am not a Presidential witness – Enang

Before now budget of some agencies were shrouded in secrecy as liason officer to NASS, how do we end the trend?

I am sure I will be addressing this in details soon. The budget of the agencies have always been submitted summarily to the legislature. So the legislature has not been able to consider those budgets because they have not been able to not come with the details. You just say this is what they will spend for the year, you don’t spend how many personnel, what they will use on capital projects etc. These details should be kept either with the committee or with the agencies. But this time, President Muhammadu Buhari insisted that the full scale of the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility act will be implemented. So he directed all the agencies listed in the Fiscal Responsibility Act. They will have to submit in detail to the Minister of Finance.

The Minister of Finance will work on it and forwarded to Mr President. Mr President now forwarded it through me to the Senate and House of rep and it is now being considered. This is to show that everything that this government will do will be transparent. I am sure no one has ever heard how Central Bank, NNPC, NIMASA spends its money because they have never sent its budget to be considered. The only agency that has been transparent is the National Nigeria Communications Commission. We have also been able to overcome that some agencies have exclusive power under their act to consider and pass their budget.

The Fiscal Responsibility act which was made in 2007, subsequent to the communications act in 2003 provided that notwithstanding the provisions contained in every act, every agency must comply with the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility act. Therefore, it had to submit together with other agencies, submit the budget not to the Minister of communications but to the Minister of Finance who now had to collate it, working with the budget of the offices of the federation, who now forwards to the President, then Mr President forwards to the National Assembly. Therefore Mr President wants everything which ought to be done, to be done properly.

I want to urge Nigerians who complain that the President is strict on the implementation of this things. I want Nigerians to accept that none of these laws or not many of them that the president is implementing were made under his tenure.  They were made either under the tenure of Obasanjo, Yaraduah or Goodluck Jonathan or previous military rule in Nigeria. They were made under the laws of the constitution while some are contained in the constitution. So when anyone wants to complain, let him know that the President is executing and implementation of the constitution of the law that he met and swore to defend. Therefore no one should complain about it. If there is anything we have done wrong, call our attention to it and it will be breached.

READ ALSO: Ita Enang Reacts To Missing Budget Accusations

It seems Presidency is silent on PIB, when are they going to send the bill to NASS for consideration.

The Ministry of Petroleum and all Nigerians comply and cooperate with the legislature in respect of any  bill they introduce. But Mr President has not yet formerly introduced the executive version of the PIB bill on the floor of the Senate. The discussions are going on on whether it should come as one bill or different bills irrespective of the law

What is the position of Buhari’s government on constituency projects?

The budget was assented to by Mr President. The budget is being implemented.

The house is currently faced with crisis around the 2016 budget padding, can you confirm if the president accented to a padded budget?

President Muhammadu Buhari assented to the budget as passed by the Senate and House of Representatives, verified by the Clerk of the National Assembly, forwarded to him. That is the budget he assented to.

What is your take on the Fulani herdsmen killings?

This matter should be resolved by conducting  modern methods of ranching where you have an area enclosed and you make reserves. You make ranches where people will go and practice their trade there.

 

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