The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Population, Abdul Ningi, clarified statements regarding the 2024 Appropriation Bill, stating that he was misquoted.
Ningi denied alleging that President Bola Tinubu was running two budgets and emphasized that he spoke as a lawmaker, not on behalf of the Northern Senators Forum.
In an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (Hausa Service), Ningi initially claimed that the budget passed by the National Assembly for the 2024 fiscal year was N25tn, while the one being implemented by the Presidency was N28.7tn.
He alleged that N3tn was inserted into the budget for projects without locations, under the watch of Senator Akpabio.
However, Ningi later clarified that he did not accuse President Tinubu of running two budgets but rather highlighted a discrepancy of N3.7tn in the budget.
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He explained that while N25tn had been accounted for, the location of the remaining N3tn was yet to be determined.
Ningi further stated that the intention of the Northern Senators Forum was to present their findings to the Senate President and subsequently to President Tinubu.
He emphasized the importance of addressing budgetary concerns and reiterated the commitment of the Senate to ensure transparency and accountability in government spending.
The Senate, through its spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu, refuted claims of budget padding, stating that there was no padding in the budget.
Ningi’s clarification aims to rectify any misconceptions arising from his earlier statements and reaffirm the Senate’s commitment to thorough budget evaluation and oversight.
