Cairo petitions Buhari over Delta’s   ‘2017 blank budget’

<h4>By Bode Olagoke

AbujaAbuja</h4>

 

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under Alil Modu Sheriff, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, has petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari over what he called “blank 2017 budget and appropriation” in Delta state.

Ojougbo, who is now a member of the APC, is asking Buhari to invite the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to investigate the state government over the allegation of “high level of fraud that is currently ongoing in the legislative House.”

He alleged that “10 members of the state House of Assembly informed him in confidence “of the blank 2017 budget.

In an open letter to newsmen in Abuja, yesterday, Ojougbo also alleged that the Speaker of the state Assembly, Hon. Sherrif Oborevwori, “signed only the last page of the budget and returned same to the government; the government then filled in the blank arbitrarily and apportioned appropriation at will.

“The Chairman of Appropriation Committee of the Delta state House of Assembly and the entire members have not sighted the budget break down and estimates as the conventional practice.

“The actions of the Speaker with the active connivance of the government amounts to issuance of a blank 2017 budget and appropriation for Delta State,” he said.

Ojougbo challenged the state lawmakers,  or anybody in the state, who has the budget details to make it available within 24 hours.

“Mr. President, I dare any member of the Delta state Assembly to produce a copy of the approved budget estimate, signed by the Chairman Appropriation Committee, the Clerk and the Speaker, let any member display same on any website,” he added.

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