Jonathan Nwokpor
Senators from the North are concerned about alleged budget padding of N4 trillion that Mr. Akpabio and his allies are allegedly pulling off.
Members of the 58-member Forum, led by Chairman Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi), met with Mr. Akpabio on Thursday at his Guest House in the Maitama District of Abuja, where they voiced their concerns.
During a BBC Hausa Service interview, Mr. Ningi emphasized that two separate federal budgets are currently in place.
He stated, “Over the past three months, we have engaged private financial auditors to conduct a thorough examination of the 2024 budget. Our investigation has revealed significant unauthorized alterations and additions that could have detrimental effects on the nation.”
“We are scheduled to meet with the Senate President to present the irregularities we have uncovered and express our concerns. We refuse to condone spending on projects of which we are unaware. In addition to the budget passed by the National Assembly, there appears to be a separate budget prepared without our knowledge. Our experts are diligently working to uncover these undisclosed inclusions.”
Mr. Ningi continued, “For instance, although the budget was initially set at N28 trillion, our meticulous scrutiny revealed it to be only N25 trillion. The origins of this additional N3 trillion remain unclear, raising questions about its allocation.”
“We have also identified numerous other discrepancies. We intend to meet with the president to apprise him of these findings, seeking clarification on his awareness of these developments and his intentions regarding those implicated in these manipulations and inclusions.”
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