Budget 2019: Booing lawmakers poorly raised-Gov. Bello

Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has attacked senators and members of the House of Representatives, who booed President Muhammadu Buhari when he presented the estimates of the 2019 budget to a joint session of the National Assembly in Abuja.

Recall that the presentation of the N8.8trn estimates was intermittently interrupted by jeers and praise singing as opposition lawmakers and their ruling All Progressives Congress colleagues made to outdo one another in either opposing Buhari’s acclaimed achievements or supporting the President.

Speaking in Abuja while reacting to the development, Yahaya criticised those who heckled Buhari, saying that they portrayed themselves as lacking parental training.

The Kogi governor, who spoke with State House correspondents, explained, “First of all, two distinct human beings, a father, a gentleman, a man who has the interest of the country at heart, President Muhammadu Buhari, displayed his stuff (on Wednesday) and those who are self-centred, selfish and bent on destroying this country and democracy, have also shown themselves.

“This is what I said sometimes back that when you have a child that is not well-trained by his parents, he constitutes a menace to the society and that was exactly what was witnessed at the National Assembly.

“The National Assembly is supposed to be made up of men and women of character and integrity. We have seen those that constitute such class of human beings and those that constitute menace to the society in the National Assembly.

“But above all, I thank God; I thank Mr. President for a wonderful presentation of the 2019 budget estimates.

“We all believe it is going to take Nigeria to the next level by the special grace of God.”

Recall that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, tried without success to control the lawmakers, who intensified the jeering after Buhari ended his speech.

The jeering also made it impossible for Saraki and Dogara to make further speeches after Buhari’s.

Amid the confusion, Buhari was practically whisked away from the chamber of the House of Representatives, the venue of the budget session, by his security details.

THE PUNCH