….Senate thrown into rowdy session over allegation of some senators receiving pecks.
…..Akpabio blames Ningi for inconsistent statements on budget padding
…
The lawmaker representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Abdul Ningi, on Tuesday denied saying the 2024 budget was padded.
On Monday, Ningi reportedly indicted the National Assembly for padding the 2024 budget with a whooping sum of N3tn.
At a press conference on Monday in Abuja, the lawmaker said he never said that the president was running two budgets but that there was N3.7tn yet to be accounted for.
But speaking during the Senate open session in Abuja, Ningi described comments attributed to him as fake.
“I have never said somebody was blinded. Secondly, I have never said the budget was padded,” the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator told his colleagues.
“Let me concur to about 80 per cent of the translation read out by Senator Yayi. I think they have done a fair job, except on some issues they could not understand.
“The beginning of this brouhaha started with this text. Senator Abdu Ningi is purported to be the author of this document. Let me for the avoidance of doubt, I have never issued a statement of this nature to anybody anywhere and anytime.
“I want members of this Senate to record it, this is a fake observation that was forwarded, I do not know the author of this.”
He further explained that his initial plan to address the issue of alleged budget padding had been withdrawn to the Senate to tackle the issue through internal legislative mechanisms.
However the President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio tongue lashed Ningi for making public statements on budget padding without any emperical documents.
He said Ningi claimed to have documents without presenting to him.
For a brief period the hall was rowdy following the accusation by a Senator that some senators got some pecks but he was excluded.
President Akpabio restored order by citing sections 62 and 66 of the rules of guiding sitting of the Senate.
Share your story or advertise with us: Whatsapp: +2347068606071 Email: info@newspotng.com
