President Bola Tinubu has responded to claims that the 2024 budget has been padded, stating that those making such allegations do not understand arithmetic.
Tinubu shared his thoughts during a gathering with the Senate leadership to break the Ramadan fast at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday, March 22. He responded to the assertion made by Senator Abdul Ningi that the budget for 2024 had been exaggerated by N3.7 trillion.
The President underlined the significance of preserving the National Assembly’s integrity and declared his administration’s dedication to encouraging collaboration with the legislature for the benefit of the nation.
“I am well-versed in the arithmetic of the budget and the numbers that I presented to the National Assembly, as well as the numbers that were returned. I appreciate all of you handling the budget with efficiency,” Tinubu stated.
He further remarked that those making allegations of malicious embellishment in the budget lacked an understanding of arithmetic and had failed to refer to the baseline of what he presented. Nevertheless, he assured the Senate leadership that their integrity remains intact.
Tinubu expressed gratitude for the Senate’s diligent work and assured them that the challenges the country is currently facing would soon be overcome. He emphasized the need to control expenditure and manage resources more effectively, as the country’s revenue has seen improvement.
Turning his attention to the recent killing of soldiers in Delta State, President Tinubu asserted that the perpetrators would face the full consequences of their actions. He reaffirmed his support for the armed forces and emphasized that attackers would not be allowed to undermine the integrity and value of the military and its leadership.
“We will continue to champion our sovereignty and protect our individual rights to exist. Together, we will succeed in eradicating poverty from our land,” Tinubu concluded.
