Suspending Ningi hasn’t addressed vital issues in the allegation – Peter Obi tells Senate

The Nigerian presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has spoken out about the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi by the Senate.

The suspension came after the senator alleged that the Senate had padded the 2024 budget with an extra N3 trillion.

However, Obi believes that the suspension does not address the vital issues in the allegation.

According to Obi, the controversy surrounding the 2024 budget remains unresolved, as both the Senate and the Executive have given different figures regarding the alleged padding.

While the Senate insists on a N3.7 trillion padding, the Executive claims it’s only N1.2 trillion.

Furthermore, a civic society group called Budgit has also weighed in on the matter, alleging that there are no detailed project allocations for about N3.7 trillion in the 2024 Appropriation Act.

In response to this ongoing controversy, Obi has called on the Senate to provide a clear clarification regarding the various claims and counterclaims, including that of the Executive.

He believes that the public deserves to know the exact amounts allocated for constituency projects so that they can monitor the implementation of these projects.

Obi also highlighted the potential impact of the alleged N3 trillion padding on critical areas of development, such as education and health.

He emphasized that investing in these areas could significantly improve the lives of Nigerian citizens and address pressing issues like the high number of out-of-school children and the prevalence of criminality.

As the controversy surrounding the 2024 budget continues, it remains to be seen whether the Senate will heed Obi’s call for a clear clarification of the allegations and a more transparent allocation of public funds.