Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum (NSF), Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP-Bauchi Central) on Monday stood his ground regarding projects worth N3.7 trillion in the 2024 Appropriation Act passed by the National Assembly and signed into Law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Senator Ningi maintained that the projects are not traceable but denied saying President Tinubu is operating two separate budgets for the 2024 fiscal year.
The Daily Crucible reports that the Bauchi Senator had in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, claimed that the Northern Senators Forum had discovered lopsidedness and padding of the 2024 budget to the tune of N3trillion.
He also disclosed that the Forum planned to confront Senate President Godswill Akpabio soon with the findings of experts it had engaged to scrutinize the 2024 budget and would meet President Bola Tinubu on the issues.
In his reckoning, a N25tn budget was debated and passed, not the N28.7tn that is currently being implemented.
“Apart from what the National Assembly did on the floor, there was another budget that was done underground which we didn’t know.
“The new things we have discovered in the budget were not known to us. We haven’t seen them in the budget that was debated and considered on the floor of the National Assembly.
“For example, it was said that there was a budget of N28tn but what was passed was N25 trillion. So there is N3tn on top. Where are they, where is it going? So, we need to know this. There are a lot of things,” said Ningi.
But the Presidency on Sunday denied allegations of padding the 2024 budget by N3tn more.
In a statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency described Ningi’s claims as “false.”
Onanuga said that Tinubu had initially presented a N27.5tn budget to the National Assembly on November 29, 2023.
He added that it included N9.92tn for recurrent expenditure, N8.25tn for debt service, and N8.7tn for capital expenditure, contrary to Ningi’s claims.
“Contrary to the strange view expressed by Senator Ningi, there was no way the Senate could have debated and passed a N25tn budget that was not presented to the National Assembly.
“We don’t expect a ranking Senator not to pay due attention to details before making wild claims.
“It is also important to let Nigerians know that the budget that President Tinubu signed into law on January 1, 2024, as passed by the National Assembly was N28.7tn,” he insisted.
Continuing, Onanuga stated, “We want to state categorically that the only 2024 budget that is being implemented is the N28.7 Trillion budget passed by the National Assembly and signed by the President.
“Included in the budget are statutory transfers to the Judiciary, National Assembly, Tetfund and others. He did not present a budget of N25tn.”
Addressing Ningi’s assertion that the 2024 budget was anti-North, the Presidency dismissed it as “far-fetched” and “unbecoming” of a leader of his stature.
“On the uncharitable claim that the 2024 budget was anti-North, we found such position as canvassed by Senator Ningi as too far-fetched and unbecoming of a leader of his status.
“President Tinubu is leading a government that is fair and equitable to every part and segment of Nigeria. In terms of funding, distribution of capital and priority projects, the 2024 Appropriation Act was not skewed against any section of the country.
“The North as an integral part of the country is well covered in all areas, from security to agriculture, healthcare to education, and other important infrastructure such as roads, rail, dams, power and irrigation projects to support all year-round agriculture,” the statement read.
However, Ningi at a press conference on Monday told Senate Correspondents that the views he expressed during his interview were his personal opinion and not that of the Northern Senators Forum.
