Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, has said President Goodluck Jonathan has only today (Wednesday) to assent the 2013 Appropriation Bill sent to him by the National Assemby on January 14.
The lawyer said in a statement on Tuesday that signing the budget after today would amount to the President violating Section 58(4) of the Constitution, which makes it mandatory for him to assent to it within 30 days of receiving it.
He said, “The only option available to the President if he fails to sign the budget today is for him to request the Supreme Court to determine the extent of the powers of the National Assembly to rewrite the budget”.
Section 58(4) of the Constitution reads,
“Where the President, within thirty days after the presentation of the Bill to him, fails to signify his assent or where he withholds assent, then the bill shall again be presented to the National Assembly sitting at a joint meeting, and if passed by two-thirds majority of members of both Houses at such joint meeting, the bill shall become law and the assent of the President shall not be required.”
The National Assembly had sent the Appropriation Bill 2013 to the President for his assent on January 14, 2013.
