NASS, not Tinubu’s presidency, “padded” the 2024 budget by N1.2 trillion.
According to Sunday’s statement from the Presidency, legislators inserted the N1.2 trillion differentials, hence President Bola Tinubu is not executing a budget that differs from what the National Assembly passed.
Also, the suggestion that President Tinubu’s budget plan for 2024 is anti-North was refuted by the Presidency.
In a statement headlined “The truth concerning the 2024 budget,” Special Advisor to the President on Information and Strategy Mr. Bayo Onanuga made the denials.
President Tinubu, according to Onanuga, is heading a government that is just and fair to everyone of Nigeria. He went on to say that the 2024 Appropriation Act did not favour any one region over another when it came to finance, capital distribution, or priority projects.
Moreover, he elaborated that the North, being an essential component of the nation, is well served in every respect, including defence, healthcare, education, and the development of vital infrastructure like roads, railroads, dams, electricity, and irrigation projects that enable year-round farming.
We feel it is necessary to inform Nigerians that there is absolutely no truth to the accusation that Senator Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi Central, has made regarding the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government operating two versions of the 2024 budget.
“In an interview with BBC Hausa Service, Senator Ningi, speaking on behalf of the Northern Senators’ Forum, made the erroneous allegation that the National Assembly discussed and approved a budget of N25 trillion for 2024, rather than the N28.7 trillion actually being implemented by the federal government.
First, the N27.5 trillion budget that President Tinubu presented to the National Assembly on November 29, 2023, consisted of N9.92 trillion for recurrent expenditure, N8.25 trillion for debt servicing, and N8.7 trillion for capital investment.
“The news spread quickly about this. A budget of N25 trillion was not presented by him. It is impossible for the Senate to have discussed and approved a N25 trillion budget without first presenting it to the National Assembly, despite Senator Ningi’s peculiar viewpoint.
We wouldn’t expect a ranking senator to make irrational assertions without first thoroughly investigating the matter.
The national budget that was passed by the National Assembly and signed into law by President Tinubu on January 1, 2024, was N28.7 trillion, and it is crucial for Nigerians to know this.
“The National Assembly wisely raised the requested sum by N1.2 trillion from what the Executive had originally proposed.
By not withholding his consent to the Appropriation Bill as enacted by the National Assembly, President Tinubu exemplified the spirit of democracy, which permits compromise. It should be emphasised that the National Assembly, exercising its authority of appropriation, was the one who jacked up the budget figure whether it was increased or changed from what the Executive recommended.
Concerning the unfounded assertion that the 2024 budget was anti-North, we felt Senator Ningi’s stance to be very implausible and unworthy of a leader of his rank.
Every region and class of Nigeria is being treated fairly and equally by the government that President Tinubu is presiding over. The 2024 Appropriation Act did not favour any one region over another in terms of allocation of funds, priority projects, or overall funding.
“Every aspect of the country’s infrastructure, including roads, trains, dams, power, and irrigation projects to support all year-round agricultural, as well as security, healthcare, education, and agriculture, is adequately covered in the North.”
When he heard that President Tinubu and other well-intentioned Nigerians are working together to promote national unity and inclusive politics, he expressed his concern that a senator from the Federal Republic of Nigeria “may deploy such primal antics to fuel divisive discourse.”
“We would like to take this occasion to applaud Senator Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, for correcting the record,” he continued. Additionally, we applaud Senators Steve Sunday Karimi of Kogi, Titus Tartenger Zam of Benue, and Kaka Sheu of Borno for their honesty in standing up to Senator Ningi’s distortion of facts.
Constitutional democracy and the rule of law are principles in which President Tinubu strongly believes. He is a devout democrat who will not violate Nigeria’s constitution by carrying out any spending plan other than the one that the National Assembly authorised and that he faithfully signed into law.
The N28.7 trillion budget that was approved by the National Assembly and signed by the President is the only one now in effect for 2024. We want to make that point clear.
Legislative transfers to the National Assembly, Tetfund, the Judiciary, and others are all part of the budget.