The leadership of the Senate has refuted claims that it inflated the N500 billion palliative budget by over N200 billion.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the Senate had recently approved President Bola Tinubu’s request for a $800 million World Bank loan and N500 billion in palliatives to cushion the impact of fuel subsidy removal.
Following the approval, reports surfaced suggesting that additional funds were surreptitiously inserted into the budget for dubious projects.
Senator Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, categorically dismissed the media report, asserting that it lacked substantiated facts and was a deliberate attempt to tarnish the reputation of the Senate leadership.
In a statement addressing the issue, Adaramodu said, “Following the passage of the Supplementary Budget to provide financial support for Federal Government Palliative initiatives and other pressing national priorities, the public discourse has been inundated with baseless, inaccurate, and disrespectful misinterpretations.”
He further emphasised, “It is important to note that the passage of the budget is an absolute constitutional responsibility of the Senate. We refuse to engage in a debate fueled by mischief and misrepresentation, claiming that the appropriation of N70 billion in the just-passed Amendment Act was a ‘gift’ to legislators.”
Senator Adaramodu went on to highlight the urgent need for attention to the deteriorating state of the National Assembly complex, stating, “A visit to the suites, offices, and general structures of the complex would reveal a stark reality that demands immediate action. Many senators have had to bring their own furniture, equipment, and, in some cases, undertake repairs.”
He clarified that the debated allocation would not be disbursed to individual legislators, but rather managed by the National Assembly Bureaucracy. Adaramodu also highlighted that the National Assembly complex is not solely occupied by legislators, but also houses thousands of workers and service providers who require an improved working environment and necessary resources.
“The allocation in question should not be misconstrued as a palliative for legislators, as they are mere political representatives passing through. Those who label it as such are misinformed,” he declared firmly.
Denying any existence of padding in the palliative budget, the statement read, “The alleged padding of the budget by the National Assembly is a fabrication in the minds of those intent on discrediting the 10th Assembly. There is no padding, as erroneously claimed by ill-informed media outlets.”
“We wish to urge fellow compatriots to see the National Assembly as partners in the progress of Nigeria. The National Assembly is the soul of democracy and the 10th Senate shall join hands with other arms of government and our forward looking Nigerians to sing new songs of progress, development, safety and all round economic recovery and growth.”
