Leader of the Northern Senators Caucus, Abdul Ningi, has insisted on his claim that the 2024 Budget was padded with additional N3.7 trillion not traceable to any budget.

Mr Ningi disclosed this on Monday while addressing journalists at the National Assembly.

The Peoples Democratic Party senator representing Bauchi Central had in an interview on BBC Hausa interview claimed that the President Bola Tinubu-led government was implementing a budget other than the one approved on January 1, 2024, adding that the budget was significantly higher than what was passed.

According to him, N25 trillion budget was debated and passed by the National Assembly, and not the N28.7tn that is currently being implemented.

However, the presidency in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, dismissed Mr Ningi’s claim.

“It is also important to let Nigerians know that the budget that President Tinubu signed into law on January 1, 2024, as passed by the National Assembly was N28.7tn,” Onanuga said.

Also, three of Ningi’s colleagues; Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi West), Titus Zam (APC, Benue North East) and Kaka Shehu (APC, Borno Central), had disowned his allegation.

But insisting on his claim, Mr Ningi said, “In the course of our perusing the budget, which Onanuga seems to have dwelt on, I say we have established very reasonable doubt that about N25 trillion so far nexus in the budget, that means there’s money, and then there’s project, and then there’s location. But we’re yet to ascertain N3 trillion of that project. We’ve established N3 trillion in the budget, we’ve not established its location.

“The intention of the northern senators as regards the budgetary allocation was to meet the Senate president with our findings and subsequently meet President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with our findings.

“So if one is questioning our desire to relate with Bola Tinubu, how will I say that the findings of the Northern Senators Forum will go the Senate President and then President Tinubu, the commander in chief?’’ 

He said that he was not bothered about being suspended for making the allegation.

He said, “If it is a cross I have to carry, I’ll carry it. I’m not afraid of anything. I believe in one God and I believe power is transient. I’m not scared of any issue like suspension. I have been out of the Senate for eight years, and people had to force me back. Some of my friends were removed by tribunals, they’re living their lives. If because I said what I said, then I will be suspended, then so be it, it will be an honour for me to be suspended by whatever body.

Mr Ningi added that he was speaking for himself and not on behalf of the Northern Senators Forum, insisting on his claim, saying, “I stand by what I said.’’

“The interview I had with the BBC was not an interview for the Northern Senators Forum, it was an interview for myself. I don’t want people to castigate them. I want people to castigate me as the leader. I want to make sure that whatever happens, happens to me,” he stated.

The Senate is to deliberate on the matter today.