Don't Sign 2017 Budget - Falana Advises Osinbajo

Human rights activist, Mr.

Femi Falana (SAN), has

advised the Acting President

Yemi Osinbajo not to sign the

2017 budget because it was

illegally increased by the National Assembly.





He also said that President

Muhammadu Buhari is not

competent to sign the

appropriation bill into law

because he is on vacation.



Falana spoke in Ilorin, during

a colloquium organised by the

Movement for Genuine

Change to mark the 50th

anniversary of the creation of

Kwara State. He explained that once Buhari

had transmitted a letter to

the National Assembly that

he was proceeding on

vacation, all presidential

powers had automatically been transferred to Osinbajo

who is now the Acting

President. He stated that until the

President writes another

letter to the federal

parliament at the end of his

vacation, he cannot exercise

the powers of his office.



Falana said, "The President is not competent to sign any bill into law

while he is on vacation. The constitution did not envisage that a

President who is on a vacation and an acting president, who is

standing proxy for him will be exercising presidential powers

simultaneously.

"To that extent, pending the resumption of duties by President Buhari,

the Acting President, Prof. Osinbajo, is competent to sign all bills

validly passed by the NASS.

"If President Buhari did not exercise powers during his vacation even

though he was in the country, why would he want to do so while he is

on medical vacation abroad?

"Instead of dissipating energy over the competence of an appropriation

bill signed

into law by the Acting President, Nigerians should subject the 2017

budget to scrutiny.

"We are therefore calling on the Acting President of the Federal

Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who is a professor of law

not to endorse and sign the illegal appropriation bill of 2017 into

law." Falana also explained that the

National Assembly has no constitutional powers to increase the budget

presented by Buhari. He said the legislators erred

constitutionally by increasing

their share of the budget. He also said the debate over

Buhari's medical vacation

should henceforth centre on

the urgent need for the

Federal Government to equip

hospitals across the country. The Senior Advocate of

Nigeria condemned any

attempt to truncate Nigeria's

democracy and urged Buratai

to properly investigate the

coup rumour and prosecute the culprits



Source...THE PUNCH