President Bola Tinubu has defended the 2024 budget amidst allegations of padding, claiming that those alleging ‘padding’ simply do not understand the arithmetic involved.
Recall that senator Abdul Ningi claimed that over N3.7 billion in the budget couldn’t be accounted for. In response Tinubu, said such claims is indicative of a lack of understanding of the budget’s intricacies.
Addressing the Senate during a Ramadan fast break he hosted at the State House in Abuja, he said “I know the arithmetic of the budget and the numbers that I brought to the National Assembly, and I know what numbers came back. I appreciate all of you for the expeditious handling of the budget. Thank you very much,”
“Those who are talking about malicious embellishment in the budget; they did not understand the arithmetic and did not refer to the baseline of what I brought. But your integrity is intact” he added
While speaking on the nation’s economic challenges, including inflation and currency depreciation, Tinubu stated that Nigeria was on the brink of overcoming the difficulties.
“I am grateful for what you have been doing. The natural challenge we are facing will be over. On the current economic difficulty, we are about to turn the corner. Our revenue has improved. All we have to do is to control expenditure and manage ourselves better”
“Light is at the end of the tunnel, and Nigerians will soon smile again,” the President stated.
