Under the direction of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Senator Abdul Ningi was recently suspended by the Senate due to claims that he had inflated the 2024 budget by N3.7 trillion. After a turbulent Senate session, Ningi, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member representing the Bauchi Central Senatorial District, was suspended for three months.
In an interview, Ningi asserted that the Federal Government operates two versions of the 2024 budget, with the signed N28.7 trillion budget favoring the North. His claims were criticized by many Senators and the Presidency. However, Ningi later clarified that only N25 trillion of the budget was tied to specific projects, while N3.7 trillion had no allocated projects.
Attempting to clarify Ningi’s claims, the Presidency stated that the National Assembly padded the budget by N1.27 trillion and questioned the source of the alleged N3 trillion padding.
In a statement shared through X, Mr. Obi emphasized the importance of utilizing Nigeria’s public funds for the public good, expressing concern over the alleged N3 trillion padding. He highlighted that even if the actual amount is lower, redirecting the admitted N1.2 trillion padding towards critical areas like health and education could significantly benefit the nation and its people.
Obi stressed that the Senate’s decision to suspend Ningi has not resolved the key issues arising from the allegations, including concerns about unbalanced allocation of constituency projects by the Senate leadership. CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
