…Says it’s illegal, unconstitutional
The Zamfara state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the 2025 budget presented by Governor Dauda Lawal to the House of Assembly Thursday, saying it’s illegal, unconstitutional and must be reversed for the interest of the people.
The state publicity secretary of the party, Yusuf Idris, said this Friday in a statement released in Gusau.
According to the statement, a state’s annual budget proposal presentation event “is usually done openly for the entire world to see, “and possibly comment or contribute to the way and manner public tax payers’ money will be utilised by the government in the incoming year.”
The party noted that planning to spend over N545 billion, the governor and a few stooges of the Assembly hid themselves to perpetrate their hidden agenda.
“The government, in collaboration with some bad security personnel, shielded everyone, especially the media, from covering the presentation and by implication denying the public knowledge or access to the budget,” the statement read partly.
The party wondered why the Assembly suspended nine out of the 24 members who they suspected would have challenged the document during and after presentation so that the process would go unchallenged.
“This development plus the refusal of the member representing Kaura Namoda to participate in the unholy presentation left the Assembly unfortunately for Governor Dauda’s proponents with less than two third members who cannot constitutionally pass any bill and, therefore, nullifying and voiding today’s action.”
The party called on the governor and the Assembly to “immediately reverse the charade done today as well as apologise to the people in their own interest or we will seek legal redress by dragging them to court.”
“We are appealing to the EFCC and ICPC to investigate the total abuse of financial regulations by the governor’s cabal to perpetuate illegality in our dear state.”
