2017 budget osinbajo and lawmakers at loggerheads

A blast from the past!

In 2017, there was a controversy surrounding the budget presented by President Muhammadu Buhari's administration, led by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, to the National Assembly (lawmakers).

The budget, which was presented in December 2016, was initially rejected by the National Assembly due to disagreements over the allocation of funds. The lawmakers felt that the budget did not prioritize their constituency projects and did not provide sufficient funding for critical sectors such as education and healthcare.

The Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, and the lawmakers were at loggerheads over the budget, with Osinbajo accusing the lawmakers of trying to hijack the budget process. The lawmakers, on the other hand, accused Osinbajo and the Executive of not consulting them adequately on the budget.

The standoff led to a stalemate, with the National Assembly refusing to pass the budget until their concerns were addressed. The impasse lasted for several months, causing delays in the implementation of government projects and programs.

Eventually, the National Assembly passed a revised budget in June 2017, which was signed into law by President Buhari. The revised budget was significantly different from the original budget presented by Osinbajo, with the lawmakers having inserted their own priorities and projects.

The controversy highlighted the ongoing power struggle between the Executive and Legislative arms of government in Nigeria, with each side accusing the other of trying to undermine the other's authority.