The President while hosting the lawmakers at the State House in Abuja for Ramadan Iftar (breaking of Muslim fast) on Thursday claimed that those spreading the allegation of irregularities in the budget legislative process are not properly informed.
President Bola Tinubu has reacted to the alleged padding of the 2024 Appropriations Act by the members of the Nigerian Senate.
The President while hosting the lawmakers at the State House in Abuja for Ramadan Iftar (breaking of Muslim fast) on Thursday claimed that those spreading the allegation of irregularities in the budget legislative process are not properly informed.
He said he knew the figures that he tendered before the Senate and also what was eventually approved by them, adding that the Senators were people whose integrity had helped his administration since his inauguration.
He said, “I know the arithmetic of the numbers that I brought to you, to the Senate. And I know what I got back.
“Those who were talking about malicious embellishment in the budget didn't understand the arithmetic and didn't refer to the number-based lines of what I brought. But all of your integrity is intact. I'm very grateful for what you have been doing.”
Senator Ningi in a recent interview with BBC Hausa claimed that the National Assembly passed a budget of N25 trillion for the 2024 fiscal appropriation year.
According to the lawmaker, the passed budget is in contrast with the N28.7 trillion being implemented by the federal government.
Senator Ningi’s claims generated controversy in the Senate and Nigerians have criticised the lawmakers under the leadership of the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
SaharaReporters last week reported that the Senate suspended Senator Ningi for three months over the allegations of budget padding.
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