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Presidency Affirms N1.27tn Addition To 2024 Budget Amidst Padding Allegations

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Senator Yemi Adaramodu, spokesperson for the Senate has vehemently refuted accusations of budget padding in the N28.77 trillion budget passed by the National Assembly.

The denial comes in response to concerns raised by Senator Abdul Ningi regarding potential discrepancies.

Contrarily, the Presidency issued a statement on Saturday acknowledging a N1.27tn addition to the 2024 budget. However, it expressed confusion over the origin of the mentioned N3tn.

Adaramodu underscored the budget’s public accessibility, affirming its status as a document available for scrutiny by Nigerians.

As reported by the BBC Hausa service on Saturday, Senator Ningi, Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, alleged that the Federal Government is running a budget of N28tn, contradicting the officially approved N25tn passed by the National Assembly.

He said, “Apart from what the National Assembly did on the floor, there was another budget that was done underground which we didn’t know.

“The new things we have discovered in the budget were not known to us. We haven’t seen them in the budget that was debated and considered on the floor of the National Assembly.

“For example, it was said that there was a budget of N28tn but what was passed was N25 trillion. So there is N3tn on top. Where are they, where is it going? So, we need to know this. There are a lot of things.

“For the first time in Nigerian history, today we are operating two different budgets. One budget was approved by the National Assembly and signed by President Bola Tinubu and the other was implemented by the Presidency.

“The one approved by us is N25tn while the one operated by the Federal Government is N28tn. Apparently, we discovered N3tn was inserted into the budgets without locations. This is the highest budget padding that happened in Nigerian history under Sen. Akpabio’s watch.

“We resolved as people’s representatives to see President Tinubu on this issue, with facts and figures, to ask him if he is aware of this embarrassment or not, then from there we will take action. Let Nigerians be patient with us.”

The Senate Spokesperson responded, asserting, “There is no budget padding, according to the Senate and the National Assembly.”

“The national budget is a public document, which expressly states the expected revenue and the expenditure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The Senate under the leadership of Senator Godswill Akpabio is not aware of any varied execution of the 2024 appropriation mandate, as approved.”

Senator Adaramodu added, “The budget presentation and approval processes were made in the public glare, while the Presidential assent was also in a public ceremony.

“Any infractions would have been brought before the Senate, if any.  The general public should be at rest that there is no budget padding anywhere and we are confident that the 2024 appropriation law shall be strictly executed, under strict legislative oversight.”

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, clarified on Saturday, stating, “The National Assembly added N1.27tn to the 2024 budget. So, we do not see where the N3tn is coming from.”

“What we know is that the NASS approved a budget of N28tn which the President signed. What the President signed was the budget approved by the National Assembly, by the two houses.

“The 2023 supplementary budget was passed separately to run concurrently with this year’s budget until March.”

Ningi further announced that the Northern Senators Forum plans to confront Akpabio with its findings on the budget.

He added, “We want to show him what we have seen in the budget that is not acceptable, we will not accept them, and we don’t want the country to continue spending money on those things,”

The Head of Press and Public Relations Unit at the Ministry of Finance, Chukwu Helen, stated her inability to confirm whether the budget was padded with the mentioned amount.

She assured to provide confirmation after consulting with the ministry’s budget officer.

Recall that on November 29, 2023, President Bola Tinubu unveiled the “Renewed Hope budget” totaling N27.5tn before a joint section of the National Assembly, as reported by BIZTELLERS.

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NEWS

Showunmi Urges South-East to Judge Tinubu by Projects, Not Propaganda

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Otunba Segun Showunmi, a member of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) for 2027, has urged the South-East to assess President Bola Tinubu’s administration based on verifiable projects and measurable results rather than political propaganda.

Showunmi made the call in a statement posted on X on Saturday, urging Nigerians to evaluate the government’s performance based on infrastructure delivery, funds committed to projects and their impact on communities.

He said federal infrastructure initiatives targeting the South-East under Tinubu’s administration deserved serious scrutiny and factual assessment, adding that unfulfilled promises should continue to be pursued until the expected results were delivered.

SEE ALSO: 2027 Election: ‘Look Beyond the Noise’ – Showunmi Urges Nigerians to Give Tinubu More Time

“Our message is clear: We will not trade facts for propaganda, nor accountability for political loyalty!” he said.

The political figure challenged critics of the administration to provide evidence to support their claims, while urging those defending the government to present the projects and demonstrate their impact.

He also called on government officials to publish relevant figures, disclose project timelines and provide measurable results, insisting that no public official should be exempt from scrutiny.

According to Showunmi, the South-East deserves infrastructure that supports economic growth, including roads that connect markets, investments that create jobs and policies that expand economic opportunities.

He maintained that political representation must translate into tangible benefits for citizens, stressing that public office should deliver value to the people.

As part of his call to action, Showunmi urged Nigerians to scrutinise government records, challenge misinformation with evidence and demand the completion of outstanding projects.

He further called for public commitments to be matched by measurable delivery, arguing that leadership should be assessed by facts and results rather than political rhetoric.

Ending his statement with the slogan, “Asiwaju is a goal,” Showunmi called for accountability and greater inclusion of the South-East in Nigeria’s development.

Showunmi is associated with The Alternative and is a member of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 elections.

 

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NEWS

Lagos: LASTMA Announces Traffic Restrictions Along Route to Toll Gate

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The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on Saturday announced a temporary road closure near Apostolic Church, inward Toll Gate, to allow engineers to install a beam on a height-restriction structure.

The agency said the installation was aimed at preventing high-rise trailers from accessing the newly constructed pedestrian bridge.

ALSO READ: LASTMA Alerts Motorists to Traffic Delays on Ogunnusi Road

“Currently, one lane has been occupied to facilitate the ongoing construction work, while the remaining two lanes are available to motorists,” LASTMA stated.

The agency advised road users to approach the affected corridor with caution and follow the directions of its personnel deployed to the area.

“Road users are advised to approach the affected corridor with caution and follow the directions of our personnel who are on ground to ensure the smooth flow of vehicular movement,” the statement added.

LASTMA also urged motorists to remain patient while the installation work continued.

“Motorists are encouraged to exercise patience while the installation work is in progress,” the agency stated.

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NEWS

‘Oseni Rufai Helped Me, Not NiDCOM’ — Ekene Chukwuma on Return to Nigeria

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Nigerian national Ekene Chukwuma has said he returned to Nigeria with assistance linked to Oseni Rufai rather than the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), while renewing allegations against the commission’s chairperson, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, over his travel documents.

Chukwuma made the remarks in an interview in which he explained how he returned to Nigeria after spending months at a deportation camp in India.

RELATED NEWS: Rufai Oseni Row: NiDCOM Breaks Silence on Nigerians Detained in India, Addresses Ekene’s Case

“My name is Kenneth Chukwu, from Enugu State,” he said, introducing himself before explaining how he returned to the country.

“I came back here with the assist of Osini Roufai, a good friend of him,” he said.

Chukwuma denied that NiDCOM facilitated his return, alleging that the commission had published false information about his case.

“NiDCOM made a lots of false, uh, news acquisition against me, which is still in Abike Dabiri handle in Twitter,” he said.

He also accused Dabiri-Erewa of sharing his expired international passport and a travel certificate he claimed was issued six months after he entered the detention camp.

“He also, she also posted my international passport that expired. He also, she also posted my TC that issued after 6 months,” he said.

His comments renew questions surrounding the handling of his case and the circumstances under which he obtained the documents needed to return to Nigeria.

Chukwuma’s detention in India previously sparked a public disagreement between ARISE News presenter Oseni Rufai and Dabiri-Erewa over NiDCOM’s response to reports of his situation.

Oseni raised concerns about Chukwuma’s detention and the commission’s handling of the case, while Dabiri-Erewa defended NiDCOM’s position and explained the process for submitting information to the commission.

NiDCOM subsequently issued its account of Chukwuma’s detention, stating that he had been arrested in India over a visa overstay and addressing the circumstances surrounding his travel documents.

The differing accounts prompted public debate about the commission’s response to Nigerians facing immigration difficulties abroad.

 

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