The Nigerian Senate has denied reports making the rounds that it padded the 2024 appropriation budget by well over N4 trillion.
Northern senators under the aegis of Northern Senators Forum (NSF) had confronted the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over alleged padding of the 2024 budget with about N4 trillion worth of projects.
Reacting in a Saturday statement made available to Senate Correspondents, Senate Committee Chairman on Media and Publicity, Yemi Adaramodu, questioned the motives of those spreading falsehoods despite the transparent process the budget underwent before being assented to by President Bola Tinubu.
He said the budget document detailing expected revenue and expenditure was already in the public domain, emphasizing that the Akpabio-led 10th Senate was not aware of any altered version.
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The statement read: “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 Senator 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.”
