Tinubu, however, assured the lawmakers that their integrity was still intact despite the controversy
By Kehinde Okeowo
President Bola Tinubu has finally reacted to the allegation that his government padded the 2024 budget, saying those accusing him of embellishment simply did not understand his “arithmetic”.
TheNiche had earlier reported that the 2024 budget became controversial after Senator representing Bauchi Central, Abdul Ningi, alleged that over N3.7 trillion in the budget could not be traced to any project.
The allegations, which landed him three-month suspension, stimulated reactions from concerned Nigerians across the country and became a trending topic on social media.
However, addressing the controversy while hosting the leadership of the Senate to a dinner to break the Ramadan fast at the State House on Thursday in Abuja, the president assured the lawmakers that their integrity was still intact.
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Speaking at the event, Tinubu said: “I know the arithmetic of the budget and the numbers that I brought to the National Assembly, and I know what numbers came back. I appreciate all of you for the expeditious handling of the budget. Thank you very much.
“Those who are talking about malicious embellishment in the budget, they did not understand the arithmetic and did not refer to the baseline of what I brought. But your integrity is intact.
“I am grateful for what you have been doing. The natural challenge we are facing will be over.
“On the current economic difficulty, we are about turning the corner. Our revenue has improved. All we have to do is to control expenditure and manage ourselves better”
He went on to thank members of the National Assembly for the speedy attention given to the Students Loan Amendment Bill, urging more tolerance, forgiveness, and charity during Ramadan.
