*As Sen. Abdul Ningi’s alleged N4trn budget padding tears Senators apart
*3 Senators oppose Ningi, say allegation unfounded, baseless
*Suspension axe dangles on Ningi as Senators plan to raise issue inside Chamber tomorrow
*Presidency denies allegation, insists Tinubu signed N28.7tn budget passed by NASS
By Olugbenga Salami
There’s palpable tension in the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly as an allegation of budget padding to the tune of N4 trillion raised by a Senator from Bauchi State, Abdul Ningi has polarised members of the red chamber.
Reacting to the allegation, some of the Senators have been in support of Senator Ningi’s allegation while others said the allegation was fault insisting that Senator Ningi fully participated in the process that led to the passage of the 2024 Appropriate Bill.
It would be recalled that Senator Abdul Ningi had in BBC Hausa Interview on Saturday, alleged that the budget passed by the National Assembly for 2024 fiscal year was N25 trillion while the one being implemented by the Presidency is N28.7 trillion.
“For the first time in Nigerian history, today we are operating two different budgets. One budget approved by the National Assembly signed by President Bola Tinubu and the one implemented by the Presidency.
“The one approved by us is N25 trillion while the one operated by the Federal Government is N28 trillion.
“Apparently we discovered N3 trillion was inserted into the budgets without locations. This is the highest budget padding happened in Nigerian history under Senator Akpabio watch.
“We resolved as peoples Representatives to see President Tinubu on this issue, with facts and figures, to ask him if he is aware of this embarrassment or not, then from there we will take action.
“Let Nigerians be patience with us. This is a national issue; it affects all Nigerians in respective of party, tribe or religion.”
Though the Senate through its spokesperson, Senator Yemi Adaramodu (APC Ekiti South) refuted the claim Saturday night through a personally signed statement, the Senate has put machinery in motion to apply legislative sanction on Senator Ningi.
Indication to this effect emerged on Sunday, when the chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Solomon Adeola (APC Ogun West) informed journalists covering the Senate in his office that his earlier plan to react to the allegation, has been withdrawn for due process to be followed .
Senator Adeola, who spoke to journalists in the midst of other Senators across the Northern and Southern axis, said since the allegation of budget padding was made by a serving Senator who participated in the consideration and passage of the budget , the best place to react , is in the Senate Chamber on Tuesday.
“As you people can see, many Senators are here with me across the six geo-political zones to react to what a senator said at the weekend on alleged two versions of the 2024 budget but after realizing that there are laid down procedures and processes to follow in dealing with such a matter involving an insider, we have decided, to shift the venue of reaction to the Senate Chamber on Tuesday, after which, briefings would be made to journalists,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, three Senators – Steve Sunday Karimi (APC Kogi West), Titus Tartenger Zam (APC Benue) and Kaka Sheu (APC Borno Central) on Sunday said the allegation of budget padding against Senate President Godswill Akpabio by some senators was unfounded, baseless and a figment of imagination.
They warned against what they described as the antics of blackmailers bent on creating an atmosphere of crisis in the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly.
Karimi, Zam and Sheu, speaking on behalf of the Northern Senators’ Forum, also said no room should be allowed for division and acrimony between senators from the North and South by those who may not want to accord priority to national unity and harmony.
In their statement issued on behalf of the Northern Senators’ Forum, said they cannot be used to blackmail the budget process, which was done in good faith.
In a related development, the Presidency has denied allegations of padding the 2024 budget by an additional N3 trillion.
This followed accusation by Senator Abdul Ningi of Bauchi Central (PDP) that the executive is implementing a budget other than the one approved on January 1, 2024.
In a statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, he pointed out that Tinubu had initially presented a N27.5tn budget to the National Assembly on November 29, 2023.
It said this budget included N9.92tn for recurrent expenditure, N8.25tn for debt service and N8.7tn for capital expenditure, contrasting Ningi’s claims.
The Presidency stressed that it was implausible for the Senate to have debated and passed a N25tn budget that was never presented saying “It is also important to let Nigerians know that the budget that President Tinubu signed into law on January 1, 2024, as passed by the National Assembly was N28.7tn.”
“Contrary to the strange view expressed by Senator Ningi, there was no way the Senate could have debated and passed a N25tn budget that was not presented to the National Assembly.
“We don’t expect a ranking Senator not to pay due attention to details before making wild claims”, the statement read.
