Senator Abdul Ningi and those who made the accusations do not comprehend arithmetic, according to President Bola Tinubu, who has spoken out on the alleged N3.7 trillion budget padding controversy.

This was stated by Tinubu on Thursday in Abuja during a meal he hosted for the Senate leadership to break the Ramadan fast at the State House.

Recall that the President recommended a budget of N27 trillion to the national parliament on November 29, 2023.

N3.7trn budget padding: I have opened can of worms nobody can control – Ningi

The national assembly approved the appropriations bill on December 30, 2023, with an increase in size from N27.5 trillion to N28.7 trillion from Tinubu’s original proposal.

Senator Abdul Ningi, who represents Bauchi Central, sparked controversy in March 2024 when he alleged that the country was running two budgets simultaneously and that the 2024 budget had been inflated by N3 trillion.

The Senate’s “committee of the whole” debated the matter after the allegations.

The senator was then placed on administrative leave for three months without pay for his alleged lack of supporting documentation.

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, stated that the accusation would cause many Nigerians to lose faith in the upper house of parliament.

“Nigerians are bashing the senate. Many Nigerians will never in future come back to respect this chamber. The integrity of this chamber has been totally damaged and we wanted you to repair it with your speech,” Akpabio told Ningi.

In response to the lawmakers’ accusations of budget padding, Tinubu stated that the Senate’s integrity is unaffected.

Alleged budget padding: Arewa Forum declares their stand on Ningi’s suspension

“I know the arithmetic of the numbers that I brought to the senate and I know what I got back,” the president said.

“And I appreciate all of you for the expeditious handling of the budget. Thank you very much.

“Those who are talking of malicious embellishment in the budget didn’t understand the arithmetic and they didn’t refer to the numbers… the baseline of what I brought.

“All of your integrity is intact. I am very grateful for what you have been doing.”

In addition to calling for greater forgiveness, compassion, and tolerance during Ramadan, Tinubu praised National Assembly members for their prompt consideration of the Students Loan Amendment Bill.

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