Buhari opens up, accuses National Assembly of ‘padding’ 2018 budget

President Muhammadu Buhari has accused the National Assembly of tampering with the 2018 budget sent to them by cutting essential projects and inserting non-essential ones.

Mr Buhari stated this while signing the 2018 budget into law.

“I am concerned about some of the changes that the National Assembly has made to the budget proposals that I presented,” he said.

“Many of the projects cut are critical and may be difficult, if not impossible, to implement with the reduced allocation. Some of the new projects inserted by the National Assembly have not been properly conceptualized, designed and costed and will therefore be difficult to execute,” he added.

Mr Buhari signed the budget at about 12 noon on Wednesday inside his office at the presidential villa Abuja.