March 12, (THEWILL) – There was an uproar in the Senate, on Tuesday, as Senators exchanged words over padding allegation of the 2024 Budget.
The Senator representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, Abdul Ningi, had alleged to a hoping N3trillion padding of the 2024 Budget
Ningi, who was reported to have made the claim during a BBC Hausa Service interview at the weekend, however, denied the reports on Monday, saying he was quoted out of context because he spoke in Hausa language.
However, at the resumed plenary of the Senate on Tuesday, chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Adeola Olamilekan, raised the issue through a motion, calling for the investigation of the claim by Ningi.
Senator Olamilekan’s motion was seconded by Senator Joel Onawakpo, afterwhich Senators engaged in a heated debate to speak on the matter.
However, Senator Adamu Aliero, representing Kebbi Central Senatorial District, raised a point of order, asking the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to ensure fair hearing by allowing the man at the centre of the controversy to state his side of the story.
Responding, Akpabio, who was initially angred about Senator Ningi’s interjection of Senator Aliero’s motion, said: “For me I think this is a very straightforward matter. We have a situation to be the stabiliser of the National Assembly.”
However, Ningi, who was eventually recognised to speak raised another controversy when he raised the fact that the Senate does not know how much Senate President, Akpabio, earns or the number of vehicles he has bought.
In a more controversial tone, the PDP Senator representing Cross River North, Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, alleged that senior Senators got N500 million each, while he got N75 million.
