Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, will assent to the 2017 budget passed last week by the National Assembly, the Presidency has said.
This is clearing the air on reports in a section of the media quoting the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed as saying that he does not know who will sign the 2017 budget once it is transmitted to the Presidency.
President Muhammadu Buhari is on an indefinite medical vacation in the United Kingdom and his Vice, Yemi Osinbajo, is acting.
Senior Presidential Media Aide in the Acting President’s office, Laolu Akande, said his Principal will sign the 2017 budget once he is satisfied with what was passed by National Assembly.
Akande made the clarification via his twitter handle Wednesday night, tweeting “Just so we are clear: when the time comes, everything is set, & he is satisfied, Ag. President Yemi Osinbajo will assent to the 2017 Budget.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, has denied saying he doesn’t know who will sign the 2017 budget.
A statement by his Media Aide, Segun Adeyemi reads: Our attention has been drawn to a story in a section of the media quoting the Honourable Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, as saying ”we don’t know who will sign the 2017 budget”.
“This quote is a malicious misrepresentation of what transpired at the post-Federal Executive Council Meeting press briefing on Wednesday, 17 May 2017.
“When the Minister was asked a question relating to the signing of the 2017 Budget, his response was: ”When it is transmitted to the Presidency, the issue will be addressed.”
“Anything beyond that response amounts to deliberate mischief and should be ignored.”
