National Assembly insertions in 2024 budget not unlawful – Budget Minister

Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, said that the National Assembly did not act illegally by new insertions in the 2024 budget.  Bagudu, while speaking during a press briefing Thursday in Abuja, said since 1999, it has become a norm in the passing of appropriation for the National Assembly to insert new line items to provide some dedicated projects to their constituencies, which often leads to the rise in approved budget from what was presented by the president. Bagudu said the new insertions did not violate any law because what the president presented to the National Assembly was a bill, but the budget passed with modifications was an act by the assembly.