The Senate has berated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for calling for the resignation of Godswill Akpabio as Senate President over the unfounded N3.7trillion budget padding allegations by the suspended Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central).
The Senate added that the PDP has elevated chicanery to statecraft with the call on Akpabio to resign over spurious claims and fatally failed in their sordid attempt to hoodwink the unsuspecting Nigerians on the ineffectual allegations of budget padding.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, (APC – Ekiti South), made these assertions in a statement in reaction to PDP’s call on Akpabio to step down over the spurious allegations.
He said: “The PDP has elevated chicanery to statecraft and fatally failed in their sordid attempt to hoodwink the unsuspecting public, on the ineffectual but spurious allegations of budget padding.
“The party’s ludicrous call for the resignation of Senator Godswill Akpabio as the Senate President is unthinkable and shows the party as a massaging balm for falsehood and immoral Legislative outbursts.”
Adaramodu said: “Akpabio will not resign and has no intention to resign at any time because he has not committed any wrong doing to warrant a resignation.
“it is shocking that the PDP leadership could not comprehend what transpired at Tuesday’s plenary where the allegations were debated and Senator Abdul Ningi, who was given the ample opportunity to defend himself and prove the budget padding allegations was suspended after he failed to substantiate his claims in the full glare of the public.
“Contrary to the contention by the PDP that N3.7 trillion was discreetly inserted into the 2024 budget for alleged non-existent projects, and what transpired on the floor of the Chamber, it is open knowledge that no such absurdity is found in the budget passed by the National Assembly and signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which is being implemented judiciously by the Federal government.
“Perhaps, the N3.7trn being mentioned in the PDP’s shocking statement exists only in the fickle minds of its purveyors and serves as a dubious version of the budget generated by PDP’s ‘Unidentified political flying objects.”
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According to him: “Contrary to the unspeakable grandstanding, Senator Ningi was never intimidated nor harassed, neither was he gagged nor denied the privilege to exercise his right of reply as the senator was given ample opportunity to defend himself.
“But the whole world saw how he floundered, since he had no verifiable facts to substantiate his allegations and his futile efforts to defend lies.
“So, the decision to debate the matter in the Committee of the Whole was in sync with the resolve of the leadership of the 10th Senate under Senator Akpabio to stand for transparency, justice and fairness.
“The proceedings of the plenary were transmitted live by at least five popular national television stations, making all right thinking people to wonder the basis on which the PDP is questioning the process.
“The PDP expected the Senate to sweep the unfounded allegations under the carpet but the 10th Senate under the leadership of Senate President Akpabio has zero tolerance for corruption, insipid lies and egregious falsehood such as the N3.7trn budget padding allegations and could not have conducted the investigation in the closet as suggested by the PDP.”
