By Abiola Olawale
In a dramatic move on Tuesday, the lawmaker representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Abdul Ningi, has denied saying the 2024 budget was padded.
The lawmaker who spoke during plenary at the red chamber said his interview with the BBC Hausa was misinterpreted, saying he never said the 2024 budget was padded by a whooping sum of N3 trillion.
The New Diplomat reports that Ningi who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Population was reportedly credited to have made a statement that alleged that N3.7 trillion was padded into the 2024 budget.
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 with about 80 percent 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.”
