Senator Abdul Ningi’s Budget Padding, Anti-North Allegations ‘Untrue’ -Presidency

 The presidency asserted on Sunday that  the budget padding and anti-north allegations raised against the President Bola Tinubu administration by the Northern Senators’ Forum through Senator Abdul Ningi of Bauchi Central during an interview with the BBC Hausa service, is untrue and unfounded.

The presidency also described the views expressed by the senator as ‘strange’.

‘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 N28 trillion but what was passed was N25 trillion. So, there is N3 trillion on top. Where are they, where is it going? So, we need to know this. There are a lot of things’ Ningi had submitted during the interview.

Team@orientactualmags.com learned that the  President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga,  in a statement he issued on Sunday however described Ningi’s claims as ‘false’ asserting that Tinubu had initially presented a N27.5tn budget to the National Assembly on November 29, 2023.

He noted that this included N9.92tn for recurrent expenditure, N8.25tn for debt service, and N8.7tn for capital expenditure which was in contrast with Ningi’s claims while submitting that it is impracticable for the Senate to have debated and passed a N25 trillion budget that was never presented.

‘Contrary to the strange views expressed by Senator Ningi, there was no way the Senate could have debated and passed a N25 trillion 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 N28.7 trillion’ the statement said.

Onanuga also explained  that the National Assembly only exercised its appropriation powers, and increased the executive’s proposed budget by N1.2 trillion to N28.7 trillion, which President Tinubu subsequently signed into law on New Year’s Day.

‘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 N25 trillion ‘ he added.

Commenting on Senator Ningi’s allegations that the 2024 budget is anti-North, Onanuga called this ‘far-fetched’ while noting that it is ’unbecoming’ of ‘a leader of his stature’.

‘On the uncharitable claim that the 2024 budget is anti-North, we found such a 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 said .

The presidency also said it is worrisome  that a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria could ’employ such primordial antics to fuel divisive rhetoric at a time well-meaning Nigerians are joining hands with President Tinubu to raise the spirit of national cohesion, unity and inclusive politics’.

Onanuga thanked the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, for ‘setting the record straight’ and also commended Senators Steve Karimi (Kogi), Titus Zam (Benue) and Kaka Sheu (Borno) for ‘coming out against the misrepresentation of facts by Senator Ningi’- Team@orientactualmags.com
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