N3.7 Trillion Budget Padding Saga: Northern Governors, Stakeholders Plotting To Remove Akpabio As Senate President
Mount Pressure On President Tinubu
Reports have emerged that some northern governors and some other stakeholders are mounting pressure on President Bola Tinubu to ensure the removal of Senate President Godswill Akpabio from his position.
According to reports, the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi of Bauchi Central District was heating the political scene in the country and have started to get to Tinubu.
Top sources in the National Assembly disclosed to newsmen that the heat generated by the budget padding controversy had gone beyond what was anticipated by Senate President Akpabio.
“The suspension of Senator Ningi is heating the Nigerian political scene beyond what Akpabio anticipated. The heat is getting to President Tinubu.
“President Tinubu is unhappy about what Akpabio and his group did in the National Assembly. Northern governors are pressuring Tinubu to remove Akpabio or face a civil war,” a source disclosed.
Recall that Senator Ningi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recently alleged that the 2024 budget had been padded up to the tune of N3.7 trillion.
The lawmaker alleged that the Senate leadership padded the budget currently being implemented instead of the one passed by the National Assembly.
Ningi, in a BBC Hausa Service interview, further alleged that President Tinubu’s government was executing a budget significantly higher than what was passed by the National Assembly.
He insisted that the N25 trillion budget was debated and passed, not the N28.7 trillion that was being implemented.
However, rather than to address the allegation, the Senate suspended Senator Ningi for three months.
Shortly after Ningi’s suspension, President Tinubu met with Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau and some other lawmakers behind closed doors at the State House.
On his part, the lawmaker representing Cross River North Senatorial District, Senator Agom Jarigbe, revealed that some senior senators received N500 million each from the budget.
Senator Jarigbe made the revelation on the floor of the Senate last Tuesday amid controversy following budget padding allegations made by Senator Ningi.