The member, representing Ikwuano/Umuahia constituency in the Federal House of Representatives, Chief Sam Onuigbo has insisted that the national assembly is empowered by the Constitution of Nigeria to either increase or reduce any budget before it.
This came as the lawmaker faulted the recent statement credited to human right lawyer, Femi Falana where he accused the national assembly of illegally increasing the 2017 budget presented by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Onuigbo took his stand while speaking with journalists after the Thank You visit by the Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu to Ikwuano local government of the state over his triumph at the Supreme Court.
He said: “When anything comes in as estimates, the National Assembly has the power of appropriation.
“But when anything also comes in as estimates, the person who has the power of appropriation reserves the right, if supported by circumstances or critical economic factor, either to increase or reduce the budget”.
According to the legislator, section 81 of Nigeria constitution stipulated that the president shall cause to prepare and lay before each houses of National Assembly in each financial year, estimates of the revenues and expenditures of the federation for the next following year.
Onuigbo who, is the chairman House committee on Climate change, said that as far as budgeting was concerned, the power to appropriate resided on the National Assembly.
“The National Assembly has the right to either increase or reduce budget. It is there in the constitution. So, we are empowered by law to appropriate”, he maintained.
Onuigbo stressed the need for leaders to always inform the masses rightly in order not to cause confusion in the minds of the electorates.