The Nigerian Senate witnessed a moment of tension on Tuesday when Senator Olamilekan Adeola, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, entered the chamber visibly angry, demanding transparency in their proceedings.
This followed allegations made by Senator Abdul Ningi that the 2024 budget had been padded with a significant sum of N3 trillion.
Senator Ningi had previously alleged in a press conference that there were discrepancies between the budget passed by the National Assembly and the one being implemented by the Presidency, claiming a difference of N3 trillion.
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He stated that while the budget approved by the National Assembly was N25 trillion, the one being implemented by the Presidency amounted to N28.7 trillion.
However, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim criticized Senator Ningi’s claims, labeling them as false and causing embarrassment to the Senate.
He vowed to prosecute Senator Ningi for misinformation and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.
Other senators from the Northern Senators Forum also distanced themselves from Senator Ningi’s statements, asserting that there was no budget padding and that they stood behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In response to the allegations, Senator Adeola initially planned a press conference but later decided to address the issue on the Senate floor.
He emphasized the need to follow internal legislative mechanisms to address the matter.
The controversy surrounding the 2024 budget has divided the Senate, with some senators vehemently opposing Senator Ningi’s claims and others supporting the need for transparency and accountability in budgetary processes.
The situation underscores the challenges facing Nigeria’s legislative body in ensuring integrity and public trust in governance.
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