There Was No N3.7tr Padding in 2024 Budget, Says Sen. Jarigbe

BY Judex OKORO

Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, representing Cross River North, has stated unequivocally that there was no N3.7 trillion padded to the 2024 budget.

Meanwhile, the Senate had cleared the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio of any wrong doing.

Speaking at a plenary session in which members reacted to alleged N3.7trillion padding by Senator Abdul Ningi, Jarigbe, qwho’s the chairman of the Senate Committee on Gas, dismissed the reported N3.7 trillion padding to 2024 budget, describing it as false.

He and urged lawmakers to always protect the sanctity of the institution of the Senate., insisting that the NASS only passed N28trillion and not N3.7trillion as alleged by Ningi.

He further insisted that there was no such padding, adding that senators were at peace with explanation by the Senate Committee on Appropriation.

According to him ” there was no padding of the Budget with 3. 7 trillion, as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations clears the issue of Budget Padding.

"I advise Senators not to destroy the Sanctity and integrity of the Senate because most of the senior Senators got extra Projects in their Districts but some other Senators, like himself did not get that incentive."

However after much deliberation, the Senate cleared the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, of any wrong doing.