A tumultuous scene unfolded in the Senate chamber today following Senator Jarigbe Jarigbe’s revelation that all ranking senators received the sum of N500 million. The chamber erupted into chaos during the debate on a motion regarding breach of privilege raised by Senator Olamilekan Adeola.
Senator Adeola invoked orders 9, 10, 41, and 51 to address a motion of privilege and a matter of national importance concerning Senator Abdul Ningi’s interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (Hausa Services).
In his interview, Senator Ningi alleged a discrepancy between the budget passed by the National Assembly for the 2024 fiscal year and the one being implemented by the Presidency, stating that the approved budget was N25 trillion while the Presidency was implementing one totaling N28.7 trillion. He further claimed that an additional N3 trillion had been inserted into the budget for projects without specified locations, which he attributed to Senator Akpabio’s oversight.
Senator Jarigbe sought to clarify the situation, highlighting that the missing N3.7 trillion, as alleged by Senator Ningi, had been accounted for under Government-Owned Enterprises and first-line charges.
However, he stunned the Senate by revealing that all ranking senators, himself excluded, received N500 million each, sparking uproar and confusion among the lawmakers.
The disclosure plunged the Senate into disarray, underscoring the gravity of the allegations and the tensions surrounding the issue of budget padding.
