The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has hit back at Senator Danjuma Goje, saying that the legislator’s language and choice of words were unparliamentary and therefore deserve no reply from him.

In a statement he personally signed and sent in from Zimbabwe where he was attending the 35th Annual General Meeting of the Shelter Afrique, Fashola said it was regrettable that Goje, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation would seek to make a mockery about the issues he raised concerning the slashing of the budgetary allocation to key national infrastructure by the National Assembly.

Fashola said he was only responding to Goje’s comments for the purpose of refocusing attention to the issues at stake, adding that the negative responses he got from the issues he raised should not have been seen as a blackmail of the legislature.

He reiterated his respect for the parliament as a house where vigorous development debates take place and he advised Goje to go and acquire the temperament for such debates and disagreements.

He described Senator Goje’s comment that he should learn how to behave like a minister, which would be needed when he faces members of the House of Representatives, as unparliamentary and undeserving of a reply.

“In this context, it is left for Nigerians to then decide whether budgeting for constituency roads is more patriotic than budgeting to complete the Kano-Maiduguri Road  that connects five states, the Lagos-Ibadan Road that connects three states and helps to move food, imported goods and fuel across the country; or the second Niger Bridge that connects the South-East and the South-West geopolitical zones of at least 11 states together,” Fashola said

The statement further added that since a good budget was a necessary tool needed for the executive to perform its duties, it was important for him to speak out anytime it becomes inadequate.