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LequteMan
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The Nigerian constitution does not give lawmakers the powers to inflate budget figures, prominent lawyer, Femi Falana has stated.
According to him, lawmakers need to understand the limit of their powers with regards to the passing of the budget.
The constitution says the President "shall prepare and lay before the National Assembly," he said. "It (the constitution) does not say in the course of debating the budget, the National Assembly shall prepare and lay before itself.
“Once you understand that, you will agree with me that any attempt to rewrite the budget without sending it to the Executive is illegal.
“What the National Assembly can do by way of debating or scrutinising that budget is (to ensure) that nobody has played a fast one on the country.
“If there is any suspicion that the figure has been inflated, the National Assembly can look at it but they cannot increase that figure.
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According to him, lawmakers need to understand the limit of their powers with regards to the passing of the budget.
The constitution says the President "shall prepare and lay before the National Assembly," he said. "It (the constitution) does not say in the course of debating the budget, the National Assembly shall prepare and lay before itself.
“Once you understand that, you will agree with me that any attempt to rewrite the budget without sending it to the Executive is illegal.
“What the National Assembly can do by way of debating or scrutinising that budget is (to ensure) that nobody has played a fast one on the country.
“If there is any suspicion that the figure has been inflated, the National Assembly can look at it but they cannot increase that figure.
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