Budget Padding: Why Some Senators Can’t Speak Up – Shehu Sani

Shehu Sani

Former Kaduna lawmaker, Shehu Sani has explained why most senators may not want to comment on the allegations about the 2024 Appropriation Bill made by Bauchi Central Senator, Abdul Ningi.

According to Sani, the lawmakers are either afraid of the public or suspension hence their decision to be mute.

The embattled lawmaker had, in a recent interview, alleged that the Senate is trying to silence or get him arrested for exposing the padding of the 2024 appropriation budget to the tune of N3.7 trillion.

The Senate had suspended Ningi for three months for claiming that projects worth N3.7 trillion in the 2024 budget were untraceable.

On Tuesday, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio pushed for a fair hearing into the allegation Ningi raised.

After much deliberations, the Senate suspended the Bauchi Central lawmaker for three months.

But appearing on Arise Tv after his suspension, Ningi said neither he nor the Senate can control the can of worms he has opened.

Reacting to some senators’ refusal to speak, Sani, who represented Kaduna Central District in the 8th Assembly, wrote on X, “It’s either your Senator is on the side of Akpabio or on the side of Ningi.

“The Senators who maintain silence are either afraid of the public or afraid of suspension.”