Tension In Senate As Three APC Senators Accuse Ningi Of Budget Padding In 2024

Tension In Senate As Three APC Senators Accuse Ningi Of Budget Padding In 2024

In a recent development, three senators from the All Progressives Congress (APC), namely Steve Sunday Karimi (APC-Kogi), Titus Tartenger Zam (APC-Benue), and Kaka Shehu (APC-Borno), have strongly disagreed with Senator Abdul Ningi’s assertions that the 2024 budget was padded with N3 trillion……….CONTINUE READING

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Senator Ningi, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representing Bauchi Central, had alleged in an interview with BBC Hausa that the National Assembly passed a budget of N25 trillion for 2024, differing from the N28.7 trillion being implemented by the Federal Government. He claimed that a private auditor engaged by the Northern Forum lawmakers uncovered irregularities in the budget.

However, the three APC senators, in a statement on behalf of the Northern Senators’ Forum, refuted Ningi’s claims, describing them as unfounded, baseless, and a product of imagination. They asserted that the allegations were orchestrated by blackmailers aiming to create a crisis in the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly.

The senators emphasized the importance of unity and harmony among senators from the North and South, cautioning against division fueled by those who neglect national unity priorities. They clarified that the budget dispute was under scrutiny, and the report of the consultant engaged by the Northern Senators Forum would be thoroughly examined by essential committees in the Senate and House of Representatives.

Rejecting the notion of budget padding, the senators pointed out that while the executive proposed a budget of 27.5 trillion, the Senate passed a budget of 28.77 trillion, with a difference of N1.27 trillion from all three arms of government. They questioned the source of the alleged additional padding of N3 trillion, emphasizing the need for a fair assessment of the consultant’s report.

The senators criticized Senator Ningi for not providing accurate information, alleging that he had not shared his findings on the 2024 Appropriation Act with the Senate President or the Speaker of the House of Representatives. They highlighted the discrepancy in Senator Ningi’s claims about the budget amount and raised questions about the additional requests made by appropriation committee chairmen after President Tinubu’s initial proposal of over N27 trillion.

In conclusion, the senators challenged the credibility of Senator Ningi’s budget analyst and questioned the motives behind the N3 trillion budget padding allegations, urging a fair and unbiased investigation before drawing conclusions.

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