Atiku Stands with Suspended Senator Ningi in N3.7bn Budget Padding Battle

Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, recently expressed solidarity with suspended Senator Abdul Ningi, highlighting the importance of preserving the integrity of government institutions in the face of allegations of budget padding.

Senator Ningi, who represents Bauchi Central Senatorial District, was suspended from the Senate for three months following his claims of N3.7 trillion worth of budget padding in the 2027 budget.

In an interview with BBC, Ningi alleged that these funds could not be traced to any specific project.

In response to these allegations, Atiku Abubakar paid a solidarity visit to Senator Ningi, emphasizing the significance of maintaining the integrity of government institutions to better serve the interests of Nigerians and achieve the intended development goals.

During the visit, Atiku shared his thoughts on X, stating, “During a solidarity visit to Sen. Abdul Ningi, @Sen_AbdulNingi, representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, I stressed the importance of preserving the integrity of government institutions if the interests of Nigerians are to be better served and the envisaged development attained.

“I assured Sen. Ningi that he is not alone in the battle that earned him a suspension in the Senate. -AA”

The allegations of budget padding have sparked significant controversy, with various political parties and organizations demanding a thorough investigation into the matter.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called for the Senate to refer the allegations to the country’s anti-corruption agencies, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability in the budget process.

The suspension of Senator Ningi has raised questions about the transparency and accountability of the Nigerian government, especially concerning the allocation and utilization of public funds.

As the battle over budget padding continues, it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold and whether the allegations will lead to meaningful reforms in the country’s budgeting process.