2010 Appropriation Bill: CNPP Wants Investigation Of Signatures

The leadership of the  Conference  of  Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP),  has petitioned   the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ogbonaya Onovo,  requesting the police  to investigate the authenticity of the signature contained in the 2010 Appropriation  Bill (Budget) presented  to the National Assembly late last year by the Special Adviser to  president Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, on National Assembly Matters.

A chieftain of the party, Mr.  Osita  Okechukwu, who disclosed this to newsmen weekend, in Enugu, said the position of CNPP as a   body on the matter was that , such allegation  should    be taken very seriously by all and sundry by  investigating it.

Such serious allegation, he reasoned, should not be swept under the carpet  for whatever reason  in  the over all  interest of  Nigeria as a nation and her citizenry.

According to the former CNPP national publicity secretary, “ If the police authorities fail to investigate such magnitude of allegation, it then means that the soul of the nation’s economy is under serious threat”, he further stressed.

It would be recalled that following the condition of health  of President Yar’Adua, who has been away for medical treatment abroad  for close to two months now, his Special Adviser on National Assembly  matters was mandated to present the 2010 budget proposal to members of the National Assembly late last year for consideration.

However, since after the budget presentation, tongues have continued to wag  as there  had been allegation of forgery in the budget document, as some concerned Nigerians alleged that the signature contained in the vital document   was not that of Mr. President.  

His words:  “It was against this backdrop that CNPP leadership  decided to petition the police boss” , assuring  that the party  would not rest on its oars until the nation’s political leaders begin to get things right including respecting the country’s constitution.

Continuing, Mr.  Okechukwu expressed regrets that  since 1958, this was the first time in Nigeria a serving Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) was mandated to  swear–in his successor in office.  

  He, therefore, used  the forum to  explain  that last Thursday’s mass action by a body, under the aegis of Save Nigeria Group {SNG}, which he is a member at the National Assembly Abuja, over the vacuum already created in the nation’s leadership  by the continued absence of President Yar’ Adua at his duty post, was not aimed at witch-hunting any body but rather, was designed to compel members of the National Assembly to rise up to their  responsibilities.

  Mr. Okechukwu also revealed  that the group would storm the National Assembly, where they would hold discussions with the leadership of both chambers on the way forward for the vacuum created by the President’s failing health, adding that, during the visit, they would make the federal lawmakers see reasons why they should explore some sections of the country’s constitution such as section 145 in addressing the serious leadership problem already created by the 48 days  absence of the    president.

Some of the key personalities who to lead the mass action , included, noble laureate, Wole Soyinka, former presidential candidate of ADC, during the last general election, Professor Pat Utomi, Alhaji  Balarabe Musa, among others.

Canice Amadi Enugu