The House of Representatives on Thursday gave an indication of a prospective rejection of President Goodluck Jonathan's amendment proposals to the 2013 budget for the second time.
The development came as it also dismissed speculation linking the budget row between Jonathan and the National Assembly to constituency projects.
The Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, said lawmakers made their position clear when they asked the President to send a supplementary appropriation bill to the National Assembly.
According to him, the issues raised by Jonathan can be better addressed through a supplementary budget, and not by amendments to the 2013 Appropriation Act.
"Let us repeat and clarify again that there is an Appropriation Act, a law in existence, which Mr. President himself signed.
"If there are other issues he wants, they can be achieved through a supplementary budget," he stated.
The House had rejected the amendment proposals last week on the grounds of lack of details.
It also advised Jonathan to forward a supplementary budget, instead of the amendments he proposed.
However, the President re-sent the amendment proposals to the House; but this time with the details, as against a supplementary appropriation bill.
Though his latest document has not been listed for debate, Mohammed stressed on Thursday that the House was insisting on a supplementary budget.
On the speculation that the alleged inadequate funding of lawmaker's constituency projects in the budget was the bone of contention, Mohammed dismissed it.
He said constituency projects could not have been the cause of the dispute because they represented "only 10 per cent" of all the projects in the budget.
He added, "This issue of constituency projects keeps coming up, but we have stated over and over again that it is not the issue.
"There is a procedure for doing these things (the budget).
"The issues Mr. President raised can be addressed by a supplementary budget."
The President had complained of cuts in the N4.9tn budget to the tune of about N79bn by the National Assembly.
The Punch