Senator Abdulfatai Buhari who represents Oyo North Senatorial District is Chairman, Senate Committee on ICT, and a member of some committees including Appropriation, Industry, among others. In this interview with select journalists, he spoke on the controversial missing budget, corruption and cybercrime. REMI OLADOYE was there. Excerpts:
It has never happened that the budget of a nation will be declared missing for whatever reason. As an insider we want you to shed more light on this. What is really happening? The truth of the matter is that the president presented the budget, I am a member of the Appropriation Committee; we are supposed to receive it and debate on it. And after the debate, it will be sent to the Appropriation Committee of which I am a member.
However, on Tuesday when we resumed, we were told that Tuesday 19 has been picked to start deliberation on the budget. The date was announced by the Senate President and we agreed that each and everyone of us should indicate the date we want to talk on the budget and the budget will be distributed to us before that day. So, as far as I am concerned, I don’t know if the budget is missing or not but they are yet to bring a copy for me to study so that I can contribute on Wednesday which my name is slated for.
So, for now, it is politicking or jokes that is going on, I don’t want to be part of the joke. But it’s not a joke as it was reported in the media? It was reported in the newspaper, it was not reported by me and not officially by the Senate because that is why I said if between now and the date we are going to start the discussion on the budget debate, I didn’t have my copy or I have a fake one I will talk on the position but as of now, it would be very unfair of me to start talking on the basis of rumor. As a Senator, I am entitled to a budget, as a member of the Appropriation Committee, I am entitled to a budget. The time has not lapsed for me not to receive my own.(Daily Times)
