Toba Owojaiye reporting
Abuja, Nigeria
In a recent press release made available to Truth Live News, Alhaji Ado Alhassan Doguwa, Chairman of the Northern Caucus in the House of Representatives and Majority Leader , House of Representatives, refuted claims that President Bola Tinubu presented an empty Budget Box during his address to the National Assembly.
Doguwa clarified that the President had previously submitted a soft copy of the 2024 Budget, currently in the process of being printed in hard copies, with a single hard copy brought to the floor as customary.
Despite media reports suggesting empty boxes, Doguwa emphasized that Senators and Honorable members were content and guided by the verbal presentation and detailed budget analysis. He dismissed the allegations as “mischievous insinuations” from opposition members criticizing the government without valid cause, urging Nigerians to disregard such claims and condemning the perpetrators as “enemies of Nigeria’s Progress.”
Doguwa also announced that the House Committee on Petroleum Upstream, which he chairs, will commence budget defense hearings on the estimates of agencies under its supervision starting next week. This rebuttal aims to set the record straight, emphasizing the validity of the budget presentation and attributing the controversy to political opponents.
Alhassan Ado Garba, OON, has been the Majority Leader of the Nigerian House of Representatives from July 4, 2019, to June 13, 2023, succeeding Femi Gbajabiamila and still retains that position till date.
Prior to that, he held the position of Chief Whip from June 2015 to June 2019. Currently, he continues to be an incumbent Member of the House of Representatives since assuming office in June 2007.