Budget Padding: Some people didn’t understand the arithmetic -Tinubu

In a recent engagement with the leadership of the 10th Senate on Thursday, President Bola Tinubu addressed the ongoing allegations of budget padding, emphasizing the integrity of the National Assembly amidst the controversy.

Speaking at a dinner to break the Ramadan fast at the State House in Abuja, Tinubu reiterated his commitment to fostering cooperation between the executive and judiciary for the progress of the nation.

Recall Senator Abdul Ningi from Bauchi Central, representing the PDP, had raised concerns regarding the implementation of a budget different from the one approved on January 1, 2024, under Tinubu’s leadership.

His allegations surfaced suggesting discrepancies between the approved N25 trillion budget and the purported implementation of a higher figure, standing at N28.7 trillion.

Senator Ningi contended that a substantial N3.7 trillion remained unaccounted for in the 2024 budget.

However, on March 12, the Senate suspended Senator Ningi for three months following these claims, a decision that further fueled the debate on budget transparency and accountability.

Addressing the allegations publicly for the first time, President Tinubu defended the budget figures, asserting,

“I know the arithmetic of the budget and the numbers that I brought to the National Assembly, and I know what numbers came back. I appreciate all of you for the expeditious handling of the budget. Thank you very much.”

Tinubu dismissed claims of malicious embellishment, suggesting that those making such accusations lacked an understanding of the budget arithmetic and failed to reference the baseline figures.

“Those who are talking about malicious embellishment in the budget; they did not understand the arithmetic and did not refer to the baseline of what I brought. But your integrity is intact.”

Expressing optimism amid economic challenges, President Tinubu assured Nigerians that the nation was nearing a turning point. “The natural challenge we are facing will be over.

On the current economic difficulty, we are about turning the corner. Our revenue has improved. All we have to do is to control expenditures and manage ourselves better. Light is at the end of the tunnel, and Nigerians will soon smile again,” he affirmed.

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