Senate President Godswill Akpabio says claims of budget padding made by Abdul Ningi, senator representing Bauchi central, have put the integrity of the red chamber at risk.
The senate plenary on Tuesday turned into a rowdy session
over Ningi’s allegation that the 2024 budget was padded by N3 trillion.
Over the weekend, Ningi alleged that “huge damage” has been
done to the entire country through the budget.
The lawmaker further alleged that “apart from what the
national assembly did on the floor, there was another budget that was done
underground which we didn’t know.”
Speaking during an open session, Akpabio said the senate has
lost the respect of the citizens due to the unverifiable statement made by the
senator.
“Nigerians are bashing the senate. Many Nigerians will never
in future come back to respect this chamber. The integrity of this chamber has
been damaged and we wanted you to repair it with your speech,” the senate
president said.
“Instead of that, you said you have more documents to prove
what you are saying. This thing is in the public glare. I am still waiting to
receive full details up to this moment. If you had given me full details, I
would have known what you know.
“So far, what you know is only known to you, it is not known
to anyone else. I don’t know how you rushed to the press carrying different
versions. The social media is very fast. From Canada, the United States,
everywhere, the story was budget padding by the senate.”
Meanwhile, the senate has suspended Ningi for three months
after a motion on privilege moved by Solomon Adeola, senator representing Ogun
west.
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