Parties Demand N3.7tn Padding Probe, Northern Senators Disown Ningi

The All Progressive Congress, APC, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the Labour Party and some other political parties have called for a thorough probe into the allegation made by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Population, Abdul Ningi of PDP, Bauchi Central, that N3.7tn was padded in the 2024 budget.

While the parties called for a probe into the allegation, some northern senators disowned the claims made by Ningi, saying the Bauchi State senator did not speak for them

Senator Jimoh Ibrahim from the Ondo South Senatorial District has called for the arrest of Ningi, saying the lawmaker was attempting to breach the peace at the National Assembly, among other concerns.

But Senator Ningi has stated that he was misquoted, stressing that he never mentioned that President Bola Tinubu was running two budgets.

He further stated that he spoke in the interview as a lawmaker and not on behalf of the Northern Senators’ Forum.

He reiterated his stance that while N25 trillion was appropriately allocated in the budget based on three parameters (money, project, and location), he could not ascertain the project locations for the remaining N3 trillion.

He also expressed his willingness to face consequences, even if it leads to his suspension from the Red Chamber