Senator Ndume says the document is not missing

There has been a lot of talk about the missing 2016 budget in the media and social media platforms, but a top member of the Nigerian Senate has debunked the claims.

Speaking to Daily Trust Newspapers, Senate Leader, Ali Ndume said it is impossible for the 2016 budget document to go missing.

The Presidency, in a statement denied withdrawing the document, adding that the National Assembly should be blamed, if the budget is not found.

Ndume said ''The budget cannot be missing. A copy can be laid, it is a symbolic copy, the budget will be in custody of both Chambers. It cannot be stolen, it cannot be missing. Once the budget is laid in the National Assembly, it has become the property of National Assembly.”

When asked about the Senate President, Bukola Saraki’s visit to the Villa, immediately news of the missing budget broke, Ndume said  ''Saraki's visit to Villa is for Senate to know the President's priority. We want to see how we can fast track the passage of the budget before the end of February. What is before the Senate is proposal, once the president signs it, it cannot be amended, we can turn the budget upside down, it cannot be missing.”

The 2016 budget was recently presented to the National Assembly by President Buhari.