- By Femi Alabi
The Nigerian Senate has on Saturday debunked the allegation that it has increased the 2024 budget by more than N4 trillion.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Yemi Adaramodu, in a statement made available to newsmen, questioned the intentions of the allegation despite the transparent process the budget went through before being signed into law by President Bola Tinubu.
The Northern Senators Forum, had earlier said its consultants have uncovered an alleged N4 trillion increase in the 2024 budget signed by President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking on BBC Hausa Service, Chairman of the forum, Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi Central, alleged that the appropriation bill passed by the lawmakers was different from what is being implemented, alleging that about N4 trillion had been padded in the budget.
Reacting to Ningi’s claims, Adaramodu said there was no budget padding as far as the National Assembly was concerned.
He noted that the budget sheet indicating planned revenue and expenditure was already in the public domain and that the 10th Senate, chaired by Senator Godswill Akpabio, was unaware of any revised version.
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The statement reads: “There is no budget padding as far as the Senate and the National Assembly are concerned. The National budget is a public document that explicitly states the expected revenue and expenditure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The Senate, under the leadership of Godswill Akpabio, is not aware of any altered execution of the 2024 appropriation mandate, as approved.
“The budget presentation and approval processes were conducted in the public eye, and the Presidential assent was also part of a public ceremony.
“Any infractions would have been brought before the Senate, if any.
“The general public should rest assured that there is no budget padding anywhere, and we are confident that the 2024 appropriation law shall be strictly executed under strict legislative oversight.”