APC rep vows not to seek re-election — because ‘we didn’t achieve much with 2017 budget’

Babale Bashir, a member of the house of representatives, says he has no intention of seeking re-election into the lower legislative chamber.

Bashir said this on Wednesday on the floor of the house while contributing to the debate on the 2018 budget.

The lawmaker, who represents Minjibir/Ungogo constituency of Kano state, said the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration achieved little “with the capital aspect of the 2017 budget”.

He wondered what would be said about the lawmakers’ work when they leave parliament.

While noting that the APC entered a social contract with Nigerians in 2015, the lawmaker said the party had up to 2019 to deliver to deliver on its promises.

The lawmaker said the ruling party should use the 2018 and 2019 budgets to fulfill its promises to Nigerians.

“Let me inform the house that I have no intention of coming back. We didn’t achieve much with the capital aspect of the 2017 budget. In 2015, we entered a social contract with Nigerians. When we leave here, what would be said about what we have done,” Bashir said.

“Because of poor revenue generation, the question is what have you done to increase revenue generation, yet Mr President came and talk about the huge chunk voted for capital expenditure, we need to make a distinction between administrative and developmental component of the budget

“Some ministries spend N300 million out of the N500 million voted for capital project on administrative training.

“Another issue we need to look at is the projected oil production of 2.5 million barrel per day, and the current oil price of $62, we need to ask ourselves, why is the oil price currently at this price?

“There are two reasons; geo-political upheaval in the Middle-East. If today we have some peace in this region, the oil price would come down, and the second reason is the little peace we are having in the Niger Delta. If today there is any crisis in the Niger delta then we are going to have a drop in the production volume.

“I have not seen any step taken by the government to address this uncertainty, yes there is the Ogoni clean up.

“This is a clarion call for us to do the needful, we have till 2019 to deliver the promises we made to Nigerians. So this budget and 2019 budget is the only hope we have. We need to shine a microscopic light on the budget where ever there is capital development.”