The alleged budget padding by the Senate and its supposed implementation by President Bola Tinubu’s administration seems to be causing a huge division in the nation’s Upper Legislative Chamber.
Senator Abdul Ningi who represents Bauchi Central told reporters on Monday that the interview he granted in Hausa language with a foreign media prompted the argument of whether the government is implementing the 28.7 trillion naira budget as passed or 25 trillion as reported.
Ningi however maintained that he did not say that the President Bola Tinubu-led administration was operating two budgets.
Not long after Senator Ningi left the podium, his Ondo South counterpart, Jimoh Ibrahim mounted and called on the federal government and the police to charge Ningi with misinformation.
He insisted that the claims by the Bauchi Central Senator were worrisome, totally untrue, divisive and amounted to criminal misinformation.
The Presidency had on Sunday described as false, a claim by Senator Ningi that the Federal Government is operating two versions of the 2024 budget.
According to a statement by a Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the senator’s claim that the National Assembly passed N25 trillion as the 2024 Budget is false, adding that N28.7 trillion was passed and signed into law by President Bola Tinubu.
Abdul Ningi—Bauchi Central
Jimoh Ibrahim-Ondo South
