N3.7 Trillion Budget Padding Allegation: Senate clears Akpabio of wrong doing – Senator Jarigbe

Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe representing Cross River North has said there was no N3.7 trillion padded to the 2024 budget, even as the Senate cleared the Senate President Godswill Akpabio of any wrong doing.

Senator Jarigbe who’s the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Gas dismissed the reported N3.7 trillion padding to 2024 budget as false and urged lawmakers to always protect the sanctity of the institution of the Senate.

Senate at a plenary session in which members reacted to alleged N3.7 trillion padding by Senator Abdul Ningi also insisted that it only passed N28 trillion and not N3.7trillion as alleged by Ningi.

But Senator Jarigbe on a reaction insisted there was no such padding adding that senators were at peace with explanation by the Senate Committee on Appropriation.

Meanwhile, Senator Abdul Ningi after a heated debate has been suspended for three months.

According to him “there was no padding of the Budget with 3. 7 trillion, as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations clears the issue of Budget Padding.

He advised Senators not to destroy the Sanctity and integrity of the Senate because most of the senior Senators got extra Projects in their Districts but some other Senators, like himself did not get that incentive ..