Abdul Ningi: Senate Speaks On Alleged Budget Padding

The Senate on Saturday disagreed with its members from the northern part of the country that the 2024 budget was padded.

The chairperson of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Yemi Adaramodu, said this in a statement.

Mr Adaramodu was reacting to an allegation by the senator representing Bauchi Central, Abdul Ningi, that the budget passed by the Senate in December was padded with N3 trillion.

Mr Ningi, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), told BBC Hausa that the lawmakers sought the service of a private auditor and discovered irregularities in the budget.

“For example, we had a budget of N28 trillion but after our thorough checks, we found out that it was a budget of N25 trillion. How and where did we get the additional N3 trillion from, what are we spending it for?” Mr Ningi said.

PREMIUM TIMES also exclusively reported that the northern senators under the aegis of the Northern Senators Forum (NSF) confronted the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and accused him of inserting projects worth N4 trillion in the budget.

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Reacting to the comment, Mr Adaramodu said the upper chamber is not aware of the budget padding allegation.

Mr Adaramodu explained that the budget is a public document, which states the expected revenue and the expenditure of the country.

“There is no budget padding as far as the Senate and the National Assembly are concerned.

He said, “The national budget is a public document, which expressly states the expected revenue and the expenditure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The Senate, under the leadership of Senator Godswill Akpabio, is not aware of any varied execution of the 2024 appropriation mandate, as approved.

“The budget presentation and approval processes were made in the public glare, while the presidential assent was also in a public ceremony. Any infractions would have been brought before the Senate, if any.

“The general public should be at rest that there is no budget padding anywhere and we are confident that the 2024 appropriation law shall be strictly executed, under strict legislative oversight.”

PREMIUM TIMES