President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Thursday, weighed in on the controversy behind the budget padding allegation made by suspended senator, Abdul Ningi.
He told the leadership of the 10th Senate that he would always encourage the cooperation between the executive and judiciary for the advancement of the nation.
The integrity of the National Assembly, he said, remains intact irrespective of the allegations.
Tinubu stated this when he hosted the leadership of the Senate to a dinner on Thursday to break the Ramadan fast at the State House, Abuja.
Speaking via a statement released in the early hours of Friday by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, the nation’s leader noted that he knows the arithmetic of the budget.
According to him, those making allegations of budget padding do not understand the arithmetic of the budget.
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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.”
Tinubu thanked the lawmakers, adding that Nigerians are at the “turning corner” of the economic challenges.
“The natural challenge we are facing will be over. On the current economic difficulty, we are about turning the corner.
“Our revenue has improved. All we have to do is to control expenditures and manage ourselves better.
“Light is at the end of the tunnel, and Nigerians will soon smile again,” the President affirmed.
Tinubu also thanked members of the National Assembly for the speedy attention given to the Student Loan Amendment Bill, urging more tolerance, forgiveness, and charity during Ramadan.
