The Senate has denied the alleged padding in the N28.77 trillion 2024 budget passed by both the joint chambers of the National Assembly.
Recall that the Senator representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District (PDP), Abdul Ningi, on Saturday alleged the Senate paddled the 2024 budget with about N3 trillion.
However, reacting to the allegation, the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Yemi Adaramodu, said the upper chamber is not aware of the budget padding allegation.
According to him, “There is no budget padding as far as the Senate and the National Assembly are concerned.
The national budget is a public document, which expressly states the expected revenue and the expenditure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Senate, under the leadership of Senator Godswill Akpabio, is not aware of any varied execution of the 2024 appropriation mandate, as approved.
The budget presentation and approval processes were made in the public glare, while the presidential assent was also in a public ceremony. Any infractions would have been brought before the Senate, if any.
The general public should be at rest that there is no budget padding anywhere and we are confident that the 2024 appropriation law shall be strictly executed, under strict legislative oversight.”
