Alleged Budget Padding: N3.7 Trillion Later Accounted For, Should’ve Been Discussed In Senate – Jarigbe Advises Ningi

Alleged Budget Padding: N3.7 Trillion Later Accounted For, Should’ve Been Discussed In Senate – Jarigbe Advises Ningi

Senator Agom Jarigbe, representing Cross River North Senatorial District, expressed his belief that his colleague, Senator Abdul Ningi, should have raised his allegation of budget padding within the Senate chamber for deliberation during plenary……READ ALSO Akpabio Leads Senators To Aso Rock For Meeting With Tinubu Following Suspension Of Senator Ningi

Ningi, representing Bauchi Central under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had earlier alleged that approximately N3.7 trillion in the 2024 budget lacked allocation to specific projects.

This allegation resulted in Ningi’s suspension from the Senate for three months following deliberations on the matter during Tuesday’s plenary session.

Speaking on the issue during an appearance on Arise TV on Wednesday, Jarigbe revealed that the contentious N3.7 trillion was later discovered to have been allocated to Government Owned Enterprises (GOEs), the judiciary, and the National Assembly.

Jarigbe emphasized that Ningi should have avoided disseminating the alleged budget padding through the press and instead brought it to the Senate floor for discussion.

He stated, “I don’t think it was necessary for them to do that and even go to the press, I think it would have been brought to the floor of the Senate to be discussed in our executive section.”

Jarigbe further explained that upon investigation by the Senate Committee on Appropriation, it was revealed that the N3.7 trillion was accounted for under the GOEs, judiciary, and the National Assembly, all of which fall under the first line charge.

He concluded that if Ningi had brought the matter to the Senate floor, the controversy surrounding the alleged budget padding could have been resolved through proper explanation