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Emergency Rule Suffers Setback

Daily Champion (Lagos)
NEWS
June 21, 2004
Posted to the web June 21, 2004

By Ndidi Okafor
Abuja
N/Assembly rejects Obasanjo's N2.5bn request
PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo's request for N2.5 billion contingency vote to
execute emergency rule in Plateau State may have hit the rocks as the National
Assembly has written him to say that it could not give any such fresh approval,
but that he should source for such money from within the budget.
A letter to that effect was signed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Alhaji Bello Masari, who clearly stated: "there is no extra
money left unappropriated arising from the budget and the 25 dollars per barrel
crude oil benchmark."
In the letter, reference number NASS/HR/SPK/Pool," Masari asked Obasanjo to
source for the money from within the budget already passed, noting that no
fresh approval will be given to him as the money has been duly allocated to the
various sub-heads.
Pointing the way forward for President Obasanjo, Masari said "in view of the
dire need to maintain the contingency vote head, I suggest that adjustments be
made from the margin for increased cost N50 million and service wide cost of N1
billion. A provision of N500 million is already in the Act."
Consequently, Masari adduced that adjustments plus the provision in the Act
will provide N2 billion to represent contingency vote for now. I hope this will
take care of Mr. President's request."
Obasanjo had before the federal legislature went on end of the year recess on
June 2, 2004 sent to it a request for N2.5 billion to execute emergency rule in
Plateau and take care of victims of the May 11, 2004, Kano riots.
Obasanjo said that the contingency vote of N2.5 billion was in the original
budget of 2004 which he sent to the National assembly but was removed during
its deliberation on the budget.
Responding, Masari told the President to source for the money from within the
budget as no fresh approval will be given.

   

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