THE Ogun State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, said there was no basis for the N26 billion proposed supplementary budget brought before it by the executive arm, since some funds in the 2010 are yet to be utilised in some ministries.

It also insisted that the N100 billion bond sought by the executive from the capital market would only be approved if the issue was subjected to public hearing, where the state Ministry of Finance would be able to answer some issues pertaining to the bond.

Speaker, Honourable Tunji Egbetokun, who chaired the meeting held at the committee room of the House, said the supplementary budget was “brought in dead or dead on arrival” before the House.

Egbetokun said that the easiest way to end the contentious bond issue was through public debate, contending that the moment the executive arm was able to convince them on the projects they would approve the bond.

“ The easiest way to end this bond issue is through a public debate, which should be aired on a state-owned television station.

“We are not being controlled by external forces. The moment they are able  to convince us, we will go to the plenary session and passed the bond,” he said.

The speaker said that the House was not, in any way, playing politics with the lives of the people of the state, adding that only N32 billion had been expended out of the N88.089 billion approved by the House in the 2010 budget at the end of the first and second quarter of the year.

In their submissions, the deputy speaker, Honourable Remmy Hassan, Honourable Adijat Adeleye-Oladapo and Honourable Johnson Olu-Fatoki said what they were doing was in the overall interest of the state.

In a swift reaction, the state government faulted the decision of members of the State House of Assembly, describing it as an act of sabotage.

The state government, speaking through the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Sina Kawonise, also said the state government would not be part of any public debate on the bond issue.

Kawonise, flanked by the Director-General, Bureau of Management and Budget, Mr Kayode Sunmola, added that the lawmakers were only playing politics on the bond issue.

“This government will not run away from any public debate. The government of Ogun State will not be part of the Shenanigans. All of this is politics and they have their own agenda,” he said.