Kelvin Bowoto
The Senate has chastised the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for demanding Senator Godswill Akpabio’s resignation as Senate President over what it described as a baseless assertion of N3.7 trillion in budget padding by suspended Senator Abdul Ningi, who represents Bauchi Central.
The Senate, through its spokesman and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, declared on Thursday that “the PDP has elevated chicanery to statecraft and fatally failed in their sordid attempt to hoodwink the unsuspecting public on the ineffective but spurious allegations of budget padding.” The party’s ridiculous request for Senator Godswill Akpabio’s resignation as Senate President is unfathomable, and it demonstrates the party’s role as a soothing balm for falsehoods and immoral legislative outbursts.”
He stated that Akpabio will not resign and has no intention of doing so at any point because he has not done any wrongdoing that would necessitate resignation.
According to Adaramodu, it was shocking that the PDP leadership could not understand what happened at Tuesday’s Senate plenary where the allegations were debated, and Senator Ningi, a PDP member who was given ample opportunity to defend himself and prove the budget padding allegations, was suspended after failing to substantiate his claims in full public view.
He stated, “Contrary to the PDP’s claim that N3.7 trillion was discretely inserted into the 2024 budget for alleged non-existent projects and what transpired on the floor of the Chamber, it is open knowledge that no such absurdity is found in the budget passed by the National Assembly and signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which is being implemented prudently by the Federal government.
“Perhaps the N3.7 trillion being mentioned in the PDP’s shocking statement exists only in the fickle minds of its purveyors and serves as a dubious version of the budget generated by the PDP’s ‘unidentified political flying objects’.”[/vc_column_text]
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According to him, “Contrary to the terrible grandstanding, Senator Ningi was never bullied or harassed, nor was he gagged or denied the privilege of exercising his right to reply, as the senator was given adequate opportunity to explain himself. But the entire world saw how he floundered, with no verifiable data to back up his claims and hopeless attempts to defend lies.
“So, the choice to debate the matter in the Committee of the Whole was consistent with the 10th Senate’s leadership, led by Senator Akpabio, to stand up for openness, justice, and fairness.
“The plenary proceedings were broadcast live by at least five major national television stations, leading all reasonable people to wonder why the PDP is criticizing the procedure. The PDP expected the Senate to sweep the unfounded allegations under the rug, but the 10th Senate, led by Senate President Akpabio, has zero tolerance for corruption, insipid lies, and egregious falsehoods such as the N3.7 trillion budget padding allegations and could not have conducted the investigation in secret, as suggested by the PDP.
“Making the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, accept the stones is curious; the Senate and the House of Representatives passed the Appropriations Act, so the suspended Senator disparaged and questioned the social, political, and legislative integrity of everyone.
“No amount of lies and fake allegations will distract the 10th Senate, under Senator Godswill Akpabio, from delivering good legislation and effective oversight for which Nigerians elected us,” a spokesman for the Senate said.
Techrectory with Agency Report.
