Kaduna — Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State yesterday denied reports that he replaced the 2013 budget of the state presented by the late governor of the state, Mr. Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa.

Late Yakowa presented the 2013 budget of the state of over N176 billion to the state Assembly on December 13, 2012, and died on 15th of the same month in an helicopter crash.

Last week, a group went to the state Assembly protesting that the budget presented by the late Yakowa was lopsided. Days after the protest, there were reports that Governor Yero withdrew it.

Speaking when the leadership of the state Assembly returned the budget to him for assent, Yero said the passage of the budget is an indication that it was not replaced.

"The report that I withdrew the budget and replaced it with another is not true. Had it been I did that, the legislators wouldn't have passed it," he said.

He said he would carefully look at the budget passed by the Assembly, and sign it. He further stated that the budget will be implemented based on availability of funds.

Earlier, while presenting the budget to the governor, Majority Leader of the state Assembly, Mr. David Umar, maintained that the governor did not withdraw the budget submitted by late Yakowa.