Thousands of protesters on Tuesday stormed the National Assembly entrance to protest the alleged padding of budget by the National Assembly members.
The protesters who came in about fifteen Marcopolo buses were armed with placards of different sizes with different inscriptions on them all relating to the constituency projects inserted into the budget by the lawmakers.
Speaking with the journalists, the leader of the group, Ibrahim Garba Walla alleged that the lawmakers have been draining Nigerians and siphoning the funds through the insertion of those bogus projects.
Walla also referred to the statement of President Muhammadu Buhari that it took the lawmakers over seven months to pass the budget.
He also explained that “during the budget ratification process, the National Assembly members approached the executive to increase the oil benchmark from $45 to $50. This increment of $5 will be shared into two and $2 will be for the constituency projects of the lawmakers and this amounts to 170bn naira while they (Legislators) also asked the executive to come up with projects that will be done with the remaining $3.
“We are therefore surprised to see that despite this huge amount of money, the legislators still went ahead to make significant cuts in the budget of the ministry of works, power and housing to the detriment of Nigerians”.
Walla also referred to the 2016 budget padding saga that involved the former appropriation chairman of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin who had then alleged that N40bn projects were inserted into the budget by the principal officers of the House.
The gate to the main entrance was shut to deny the protesters entry into the main complex to forestall breakdown of law and orders as the protesters started dancing in front of the gate.
A mini bus with inscription “IStandWithBuhari” was seen parked near the scene while several middle age women, who are part of the protesters sat down by the road.
Staff of the complex were sighted by InsightMedia stranded while others have to make turn and take the another route.
