#EndSARS: I’ll not sign 2021 budget if ASUU and others are not included – Gbajabiamila threatens

Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila of the House of Representatives has revealed that he will not sign the 2021 budget if compensation arrangements for victims of police brutality are removed.

Mr. Gbajabiamila has also announced that he would meet families of victims of police brutality nationwide. He called on the demonstrators to suspend the ongoing demonstrations as well.

These were mentioned by Gbajabiamila in a speech before the House went into a closed door session during the plenary on Tuesday.

It should be recalled that on Wednesday, last week, the 2021 budget was passed through second reading and House committees are expected to begin the process of budget protection.

In its resolution two weeks ago, the House also voted to make arrangements in the 2021 budget to compensate the country’s victims of police brutality.

“I will not sign off on a 2021 Budget that does not include adequate provisions to compensate those who have suffered violence and brutality at the hands of the police in Nigeria in the last two decades.

“I will not sign off on a budget that does not meet the reasonable demands of the ASUU, to which government has already acceded. There is no better time to rethink the system of funding for higher education in Nigeria. The current system does a great disservice to our children and our country, and we must commit to changing it so that we can free our institutions of higher learning to be citadels where innovation thrives.”