National Telescope national telescope newspaper
The Presidency denied on Sunday that President Bola Tinubu is proposing a budget that deviates from the National Assembly’s approved version, claiming that the N1.2 trillion difference was added by the legislators.
The notion that President Tinubu’s 2024 budget is anti-Northern is likewise refuted by the Presidency.
The denials were made in a statement titled “The facts about 2024 budget,” which was released by Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Advisor to the President on Information and Strategy.
According to Onanuga, President Tinubu is running a government that is just and equal to all parts of Nigeria. He also stated that the 2024 Appropriations Act did not discriminate against any region of the nation in terms of money, capital allocation, or priority projects.
He went on to say that the North, being a vital component of the nation, is well-served in all domains, including security, agriculture, healthcare, and education, in addition to other critical infrastructure like roads, train, dams, electricity, and irrigation projects that support year-round farming.
“We consider it appropriate to inform Nigerians that there is no truth whatsoever in the allegation made by Senator Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi Central, that the Federal Government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is operating two versions of the 2024 budget,” the statement stated.
“Senator Ningi, operating under the auspices of the Northern Senators’ Forum, made a false assertion in an interview with BBC Hausa Service, stating that the N28.7 trillion being implemented by the Federal Government is not the N25 trillion that the National Assembly discussed and approved as the 2024 budget.
First, on November 29, 2023, President Tinubu delivered a N27.5 trillion budget to the National Assembly’s joint session. This budget is comprised of N9.92 trillion in recurrent expenses, N8.25 trillion for debt service, and N8.7 trillion for capital expenditures.
This received a lot of press coverage. He did not offer a N25 trillion budget.Despite Senator Ningi’s bizarre opinion, the Senate could not have discussed and approved a N25 trillion budget if it had not been presented.
“We don’t think a leading senator would make bold allegations without carefully considering the facts.
It’s also critical to inform Nigerians that the N28.7 trillion budget approved by the National Assembly was signed into law by President Tinubu on January 1, 2024.
“The National Assembly wisely added N1.2 trillion to the amount the Executive had suggested.
“In the spirit of democracy, which recognizes compromise, President Tinubu did not refuse to sign the National Assembly’s approved appropriations bill. It is important to emphasize that the National Assembly used its appropriation power to boost the budget figure if it was altered from what the Executive had suggested.
Regarding the unjustified allegation that the 2024 budget was anti-North, we discovered that the situation as expressed
“President Tinubu is in charge of an administration that treats every area and population of Nigeria fairly and equally. Regarding financing, capital allocation, and priority projects, there was no discrimination against any region of the nation in the 2024 Appropriations Act.
As a vital component of the nation, the North is well-served in many spheres, including security, agriculture, healthcare, education, and other infrastructure projects like power plants, railroads, dams, and irrigation systems that enable year-round farming.
That a Federal Republic of Nigeria senator “may employ such primordial antics to fuel divisive rhetoric at a time well-meaning Nigerians are joining hands with President Tinubu to raise the spirit of national cohesion, unity, and inclusivity,” he said, is alarming.
“We want to be clear that the N28.7 trillion budget approved by the National Assembly and signed by the President is the only one for 2024 that is being implemented.
“Statutory transfers to the National Assembly, Tetfund, and the judiciary are included in the budget.”
