‘Budget Padding’: EFCC, ICPC Asked To Investigate Ningi’s Allegation

A Lagos-based civil society organisation, Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate an allegation by Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) that the 2024 budget was padded.

Senator Ningi, in an interview with BBC Hausa Service, alleged the existence of two budgets: a N25tn version passed by the National Assembly and a N28.7tn version currently being implemented by the government.

Ningi’s allegation has since been dismissed by the presidency, describing it as “primordial Antics”.

Also, senators from northern states and the FCT, under the aegis of Northern Senators Forum (NSF), on Monday, dismissed Ningi’s claim, saying that it was “his personal opinion, sentiment and unfortunately skewed, incorrect and misleading.”

But reacting to the allegation on Monday, CACOL called on the Presidency to come out clean on the allegation.

The Chairman of the organisation, Mr. Debo Adeniran, expressed worry over the allegation, noting that “There is something fishy”.

Adeniran stated that the Accountant General of the Federation needs to provide some documentary evidence to either support or reject the allegation.

He maintained that if the allegation is true, it negates the principles of transparency, accountability and fiscal responsibility.

“There is something fishy when a sitting Senator raised a damning accusation against the Senate and the Executive concerning how the commonwealth of the generality of the people of the country is being spent and till now we don’t have a concrete statement from both the Senate and the Executive concerning this allegation,” Adeniran was quoted as saying in a statement signed by Tola Oresanwo, the anti-corruption organisation’s Director, Administration and Programmes.

“We believe the Accountant General of the Federation should have documentary evidence to either support or reject this allegation or at least come out with verifiable evidence(s) to assure the people that the government of the day is on the right track as far as the national budget is concerned.”

“We at CACOL find it difficult to believe that allegation of budget padding could raise its ugly head again at this crucial point of this administration’s tenure. We would like to affirm that the allegation, if true, represents the pinnacle of gross misconduct and an obvious negation of every modicum of the principles of transparency, accountability and fiscal responsibility. In fact, it is a shame that despite being tagged as one of the most corrupt country in the world, the fetor of budget padding is still reeking out from government quarters, that is supposed to champion anti-corruption effort in the country.”

He reminded those in government that power is temporary, adding that it would be dishonourable of them to betray the people’s trust.

“We would like to inform the representatives of the people currently in government that power is transient and that it very dishonourable to betray the trust of the millions of Nigerian citizens by misappropriating the money they are entrusted to manage on behalf of the people,” the CACOL boss said.

““Considering the battered state of the economy today, the worsening devaluation of the naira which has led to reduction in the purchasing power of the people, and the throes of biting hunger that has pervaded the land, it would be wrong for any one in government to add insult to injury being experienced by innocent and hapless Nigerians by mismanaging the revenue of the country and spending it in the most illegal and illegitimate means possible.”

“We would therefore use this opportunity to call on the various anti-graft agencies to look in to this allegation as quickly as possible with a view to bring the perpetrators if any, to book.”