Senate President Goodwill Akpabio has harshly criticized Senator Abdul Ningi of Bauchi Central for his claims of N3.7 trillion in budget padding, which Akpabio claims has seriously damaged the Senate’s reputation, according to a recent Daily Post article. CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
In an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, Senator Ningi, who is also the Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, claimed that a large amount of the N3.7 trillion 2024 Appropriations Act is opaque. He further argued that, in contrast to the N28.7 trillion that the Federal Government was implementing, the National Assembly enacted a budget of N25 trillion for 2024.
Despite refutations from the Presidency and disavowal by the Northern Senators Forum, Senator Ningi has remained steadfast in his accusations of budget padding. In response, Senate President Akpabio demanded an apology from Ningi, highlighting the damage inflicted on the Senate’s reputation.
During a Senate session, Akpabio vehemently refuted Ningi’s claims, asserting that the budget submission by the President in November 2023 amounted to N27.5 trillion, not the alleged N25 trillion. While Akpabio acknowledged a potential addition of N1.2 trillion to the budget, he adamantly denied the existence of N3.7 trillion in padding.
Expressing dismay at Ningi’s refusal to retract his statements, Akpabio criticized the senator’s reliance on undisclosed documents to support his claims. He lamented the detrimental impact of Ningi’s assertions on the Senate’s credibility and public perception, cautioning of long-lasting repercussions.
He said: “No senators or Nigerians know. At the same time, Nigerians are bashing the Senate; most Nigerians will never come back to respect this Senate in the future. The image of this chambers have been totally damaged and we wanted you to repair it with your speech.” CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
