PDP wants investigation on alleged N3.7 trillion budget padding

• Ningi alleged that the money was inserted discreetly into the 2024 Budget for non-existent projects

The Peoples Democratic Party has called for thorough investigation into the N3.7trn 2024 Budget padding allegation.

WITHIN NIGERIA reports that a Senator representing Bauchi Central, Abdul Ningi, alleged that the money was inserted discreetly into the 2024 Budget for non-existent projects.

Ningi was suspended by the Senate for three months following his claim that the National Assembly inflated the 2024 budget to N28.7 trillion.

Reacting to the development in a statement on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, PDP knocked the Senate leadership for suspending Ningi without conducting any investigation into the matter of budget padding that he brought up.

The statement reads: “We ask, why did the APC leadership in the Senate not refer the matter to the appropriate Senate Standing Committee for an open investigation in line with the extant Rules of the Senate? What is the APC Senate leadership afraid of and what is it hiding from Nigerians?

“It is even more absurd that instead of recusing himself, the Senate President sat as a judge in the matter; a situation that has the capacity to bring the institution of the Senate to further public disrepute.

“The Peoples Democratic Party demands that the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, immediately step aside and allow for an independent investigation into the allegation that a staggering N3.7 trillion was discreetly inserted into the 2024 budget for alleged non-existent projects.

“The party also demands that Senator Akpabio immediately reports at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the pending case of alleged looting of N108 billion belonging to the people of Akwa Ibom State under his watch as Governor of the State.

“Furthermore, the Senate President should speak out on the reported N86bn contract scam in the Niger Delta Development Commission during his tenure as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.”