Key questions this article answers:
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As president Buhari bows out of office with the highest budget ever, one cannot help but think of how badly the current administration has dealt with the public finances. Given the National Assembly’s responsibilities in deciding how the federal government manages money, shouldn’t they also be liable for Nigeria’s fiscal crisis?
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What are the NASS' typical functions in preparing and passing the budgets, and how have they carried out these functions over the past seven years?
Whenever you think of how Nigeria’s finances have deteriorated over the years, you probably mention the following culprits: Muhammadu Buhari, Zainab Ahmed, and Godwin Emefiele.
But there's an even more powerful group of people hiding in plain sight, approving unachievable budgets, and encouraging the federal government’s ministries to continue running the country aground.
That's the Nigerian assembly—the senate and house of representatives. This very powerful group of people
