Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday said the National Assembly has no right to introduce new projects or modify those contained in an appropriation bill.
Osinbajo said the Executive was disappointed in the legislature for delaying the passage of the 2017 Appropriation Bill which he signed yesterday.
He was speaking at the Old Banquet Hall of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja while flagging off the 2018 budget preparation process.
The acting president said: “I am sure that we understand not just how to do it right, but to get it done in good time.
“This last budget, the president presented it last December. Despite the assurances that it will be passed by February, it was not until May.
“As it turned out, we were quite disappointed that it spent a bit of time before it was approved.
“And thereafter, we had to go into negotiations with the National Assembly in order to get it right.
“There are issues about who can do what. Now, there are these two broad issues about who can do what. The first report is about who can do what. When you present budget to the National Assembly, it is presented as a bill, an appropriation bill.
“And secondly, do not introduce entirely new projects and all of that or modify projects. This is something that we experienced last year and this year again. It now leaves the question about who is supposed to do what.”
The acting president kicked off the 2018 budget preparation process a day after he assented to the 2017 Appropriation Bill.
He disclosed yesterday that the 2018 Appropriation Bill would be presented to the National Assembly this October.
