Senators angry with Jonathan shift of budget presentation

Members of the Senate on Tuesday lamented the inability of President Goodluck Jonathan to present the 2014 budget estimate to the joint session of the National Assembly and argued that the action was capable of delaying its early passage.
They also described as unacceptable Jonathan’s excuse that the sharp disagreement between the Senate and the House of Representatives, over the oil benchmark, caused his inability to present the budget on Tuesday.
Some of the senators, who spoke with our correspondent in separate interviews, however, maintained that the logjam would be over this week as both chambers would meet to iron out the grey areas on the oil benchmark.
Senator Kabiru Marafa from from Zamfara State said the fact that Nigeria was operating a bicameral legislature meant that both chambers must agree on the benchmark before any reasonable debate could be carried out on the budget.
He said, “We have to agree on the same benchmark because that is what the constitution of Nigeria says. It provides for bicameral legislature. No one had an upper hand above the other.we have to  agree as soon as practicable.
“We have to do away with the issue of arm twisting and impunity because this is getting too much from the executive.  Why should you peg the benchmark? You cannot eat your cake and have it. There is separation of power.
“The issue of budget is the business of the legislature. Furthermore, the issue of pegging the benchmark should be the work of the legislature. We are all Nigerians. We know what it is all about and we come up with what is realistic.”