By Soonest Nathaniel

Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi, is of the opinion that the Nigerian Senate still owes the people some explanations as regards the budget padding scandal rocking the Upper Chambers at the moment.

Obi said the claims and counter-claims over the alleged N3trillion which was padded into the 2024 budget, requires proper explanation as to what Nigerians must need to know regarding management of the nation’s.

The Senate under the leadership of Senate President Godswill Akpabio had on Tuesday suspended Senator Abdul Ningi over allegations of N3.7trn padding of the 2024 Budget.

Ningi, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Bauchi Central Senatorial District, was suspended for three months after a long stormy session in the red chamber.

In an interview, Ningi had claimed that the Federal Government is operating two versions of the 2024 budget and that the N28.7 trillion Budget passed and signed into law by President Bola Tinubu was skewed against the North.

Many Senators and the Presidency had pounced on Ningi, describing his claims as “far-fetched and unbecoming of a leader of his status”.

Ningi would later deny saying that the country is operating two budgets but insisted that only N25trn of the budget was tied to projects while N3.7trn had no project tied to it.

Trying to clarify the claims made by Ningi, the presidency came out to say that the National Assembly padded the budget with N1.27tn, adding that it does “not see where the N3tn is coming from.”

Addressing both the Senate and the Presidency in a communique shared via X, Mr Obi asserted that it is sacrosanct for every penny of Nigeria’s public fund to be used for public good, adding that the alleged N3 trillion is more than the national budget of the two most critical components of the human development index, health and education, combined.

He stressed that even if there is no N3trillion as claimed, then, the N1.2 trillion which the executive branch admitted to have been padded, if channeled into any of the critical areas of development, could have positively impacted the nation and uplifted the people.

Below is Mr Obi’s full take on the budget padding issue.

The fuss over the alleged N3 trillion padded into the 2024 budget raised by a Senator still rages as the Senate’s reaction of suspending the whistle-blower has not addressed vital issues emanating from the allegation.

The Senator is insisting on his allegation and the Executive agreed that there was only N1.2trillion padded not N3trillion as alleged by the Senator. Fresh allegations have also cropped up over indiscriminate and unbalanced allocation of constituency projects by the Senate leadership.

A civic society group, Budgit, through their official, have also added their voice to agree with the Senator. They allege that there was no detailed project allocations for about N3.7trn in the 2024 Appropriation Act.

As the Senate suspension of the senator involved has not addressed the issue, they still owe the Nigerian public a clear clarification over the various claims and counterclaims, including that of the executive arm, to be able to know exactly what is happening, and also disclose to the public, the exact amounts allocated for constituency projects for appropriate monitoring of implementation by the public.

I had particularly elucidated in my earlier comment on what we can use the N3 trillion to achieve, by showing that it is more than the national budget of the two most critical components of the human development index, health and education, combined.

Now that the executive arm has accepted that the padded amount is only N1.2 trillion, it is still a very significant amount, when you consider that it is almost 5 times the N251.47 billion proposed for Universal Basic Education, which is the foundation of education, in the Country.

Today in Nigeria, the greatest challenge to human resource development is education, which has been identified as most critical at the basic level.

Nigeria has about 20 million out-of-school children today because of the poor investment in education. These are resources that would have been utilised to ensure that our children are taken off the streets and returned to schools.

The N1.2 trillion which the executive branch admitted to have been padded, if channeled into any of the critical areas of development, could have positively impacted the nation and uplifted the people.

And if indeed the report from Budgit is true, that there is about N3.7 trillion without any detailed project allocations, I strongly urge the Senate to do more detailed work of channeling these funds into the critical areas of development – education, health and pulling people out of poverty, which will in turn, minimise the criminality we are facing today.

We must, as a matter of urgency, put a stop to all the wastage of our scarce resources, amid the excruciating hardship in the country. Let every penny of our public fund be used for public good. That is the only way to achieve the New Nigeria we are working towards.

They have shushed Ningi by suspending him. If any one thinks accountability was lacking in the Buhari administration be prepared to be amazed of how this administration will keep you all in the dark with propagandas.

P.S

To those who sing Tinubu praises having several monikers on here, please let us take it to facebook so we can actually see the faces of these keyboard warriors. If indeed you want to stand by your truth atleast do it openly. Do that on FB where even your families and friends will see and disown/abandon you.

Obi's call is right, they should come clean, these are probably the funds allocated for constituency projects but the greedy senators never use theirs to do anything for their people but watch how the evil ones will disregard his message and start attacking him as if he is the cause of their retrogressive lives.

I'm waiting for Agbodorians to come and attack Obi as usual

This fraud again, he has not said anything concerning the 400 SUVs his former SSG spilled about him.

Putindbutt:
This fraud again, he has not said anything concerning the 400 SUVs his former SSG spilled about him.

Boring as usual
You making NL not fun to be you making the forum Boring with your generational curse.

That amount of money allegedly to have been padded in the national budget would have been used to pay for fuel subside for the general benefits of every NIGERIANS for between 9/10 months. But, you see what our leaders are doing with a whooping sum of 3trillion, seven hundred billions of Naira.

Only God will judge each and everyone of us according to our deeds.

I left..!

Putindbutt:
This fraud again, he has not said anything concerning the 400 SUVs his former SSG spilled about him.

This has become stale.

limeta:




Boring as usual
You making NL not fun to be you making the forum Boring with your generational curse.

Story for the gods.
Is 400 SUVs not corruption?, have you asked Obi questions instead of following him like a cursed mofo.

Ofunaofu:


This has become stale.

Of course, Obi's corruption is always stale.

The Senator is insisting on his allegation and the Executive agreed that there was only N1.2trillion padded not N3trillion as alleged by the Senator. Fresh allegations have also cropped up over indiscriminate and unbalanced allocation of constituency projects by the Senate leadership.

Where are the shameless programed bots defending criminality.
I still dey wonder wetin una generation go look like.

Was it only the Senate that passed the budget?

Putindbutt:
This fraud again, he has not said anything concerning the 400 SUVs his former SSG spilled about him.

bla bla bla did obi buying 400 suvs for chief impoverished anambra state cotizens?
did it make dollar rise from 700 to 1,600?
Did it cause inflation?
Una no just get sense

mycar:
Obi's call is right, they should come clean, these are probably the funds allocated for constituency projects but the greedy senators never use theirs to do anything for their people but watch how the evil ones will disregard his message and start attacking him as if he is the cause of their retrogressive lives.

If you spend 20 minutes to research ,read and comprehend information that is TOTALLY IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN
That would be a productive use of your time
There is nothing about the budget that is not accessible on your device

Putindbutt:

Of course, Obi's corruption is always stale.

Of course it's stale news

Though, I am surprised that you didn't mention that he also invested Anambra State money in a beer business.

400 SUVS

😳

mycar:
Obi's call is right, they should come clean, these are probably the funds allocated for constituency projects but the greedy senators never use theirs to do anything for their people but watch how the evil ones will disregard his message and start attacking him as if he is the cause of their retrogressive lives.

The Senate should state publishing names and amount allocated to constituencies so that the people can ask their representatives what they used the money for.

aribisala0:


If you spend 20 minutes to research ,read and comprehend information that is TOTALLY IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN
That would be a productive use of your time
There is nothing about the budget that is not accessible on your device

You mean the 500 million the senators are agreeing to being paid to a few of them for constituency projects?

Where is it in public domain?

I have always said it that Nigeria will never make progress even in the next two hundred years.
Nigeria is a country of blind and led by the blind.

Putindbutt:
This fraud again, he has not said anything concerning the 400 SUVs his former SSG spilled about him.

shame no de catch u?. At your age you are always emotional when responding to an issue. Grow up dad

Beautifulday:


You mean the 500 million the senators are agreeing to being paid to a few of them for constituency projects?

Where is it in public domain?

Your problem is illiteracy nobody agreed he was paid one kobo

aribisala0:


Your problem is illiteracy nobody agreed he was paid one kobo

Wetin be this

It's True 10 Senate Leaders Including Me Got Over N200Million Each For Constituency Projects —Chief Whip, Ndume

That is 2 trillion.

aribisala0:


If you spend 20 minutes to research ,read and comprehend information that is TOTALLY IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN
That would be a productive use of your time
There is nothing about the budget that is not accessible on your device

This is a country where out of 205.4 million active mobile phone users, 45.7% (93.5 million adults) are registered voters & 31% of that population (ie 76million adults) are illiterates. If the Senate is serious about its “integrity” then it has a duty to explain to the public and not expect them to figure things out on their own. They are being paid to work for the people, their offices are not birthrights!

Beautifulday:


Wetin be this

It's True 10 Senate Leaders Including Me Got Over N200Million Each For Constituency Projects —Chief Whip, Ndume

Got .and. Paid


are very different verbs

Like I said your problem is illiteracy and English

Find someone that understands English to explain to you

ALL not. TEN
senatorial zones in Nigeria got at least 200 million IN THE BUDGET

aribisala0:
Got .and. Paid


are very different verbs

Like I said your problem is illiteracy and English

Find someone that understands English to explain to you

Pay them for what?

Your understanding of English is too lame.

They got as bribe. Who is talking about paid here?

Paid for what exactly? What are they selling?

Beautifulday:


Pay them for what?

Your understanding of English is too lame.

They got as bribe. Who is talking about paid here?

Paid for what exactly? What are they selling?

You are ignorant and illiterate
That is what they got IN THE BUDGET

EVERY SINGLE SENATORIAL ZONE GOT AT LEAST 200 MILLION ALLOCATED
For constituency projects

Some got more than 200 million but 200 million is the minimum

That is the conversation
My advice is you.should go.back toTiktok

Beautifulday:


You mean the 500 million the senators are agreeing to being paid to a few of them for constituency projects?

Where is it in public domain?

YOU ARE THE ONE THAT USED THE WORD PAID

Beautifulday:


Pay them for what?

Your understanding of English is too lame.

They got as bribe. Who is talking about paid here?

Paid for what exactly? What are they selling?

Stop ranting
nobody was paid any money

aribisala0:


You are ignorant and illiterate
That is what they got IN THE BUDGET

EVERY SINGLE SENATORIAL ZONE GOT AT LEAST 200 MILLION ALLOCATED
For constituency projects

Some got more than 200 million but 200 million is the minimum

That is the conversation
My advice is you.should go.back toTiktok

You said every but wetin be this?


It's True 10 Senate Leaders Including Me Got Over N200Million Each For Constituency Projects —Chief Whip, Ndume

It says Senate Leaders. Read to understand English master

aribisala0:


YOU ARE THE ONE THAT USED THE WORD PAID


Stop ranting
nobody was paid any money

When you give someone money to keep quiet is payment as a bribe.

Beautifulday:



You said every but wetin be this?


It's True 10 Senate Leaders Including Me Got Over N200Million Each For Constituency Projects —Chief Whip, Ndume

It says Senate Leaders. Read to understand English master

There is no contradiction
He is talking about what they got THAT Is WRITTEN IN THE BUDGET
I watched the interview live when he talked about pork barrel which is the USA EQUIVALENT

ALL senators got 200 MILLION BUT 10 LEADERS got even more
Yes there is no contradiction
You are just badly educated

Question is what did they get ?
Was it MONEY? No
It was a budgetary commitment for projects in their constituency

These projects are done by ministries of the Federal government and has been going on since Obasanjo government

Beautifulday:


When you give someone money to keep quiet is payment as a bribe.

Nobody was given one kobo
You are illiterate
Find a literate neighbour to explain what is going on to you

aribisala0:

Nobody was given one kobo
You are illiterate
Find a literate neighbour to explain what is going on to you

You lack comprehension. For your information, no one is an illiterate. You need education. Illiteracy is relative.


This is the Senate whip talking. You wey never contest election before dey talk say him dey lie.

It's True 10 Senate Leaders Including Me Got Over N200Million Each For Constituency Projects —Chief Whip, Ndume

Nigeria, I hail thee!