CHRICED to EFCC, ICPC, CCB: Probe Senate’s budget padding scandal

CHRICED to EFCC, ICPC, CCB: Probe Senate’s budget padding scandal

 

CHRICED’s executive director, Comrade Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, in a statement on Wednesday, urged the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to probe the claims made by Senator Abdul Ningi of a N3.7 trillion discrepancy in the nation’s budget.

The call for investigation follows Senator Ningi’s recent revelations during a BBC Hausa Service interview, where he exposed that the Senate approved a budget of 25 trillion Naira, but the executive branch is operating with 28.78 trillion Naira.

In addition, Senator Ningi highlighted significant disparities in the allocation of constituency project funds, with some senators receiving as much as N120 billion Naira, while his own constituency was allotted a mere N2 billion Naira.

In a distressing twist, the Senate leadership responded to Ningi’s allegations by suspending him rather than examining the veracity of his claims.

Another Senator, Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, supported Ningi’s assertions, stating that budget padding was a collective issue within the Senate, with certain senior senators receiving an extra 500 million Naira each.

However, CHRICED said, “The suspension of Senator Ningi is undemocratic and seems to be an attempt to silence a whistleblower shining a light on corruption.

“We demand his immediate reinstatement and a full inquiry into these allegations.”

The civil rights organization claimed that legislators have devised new methods to insert fictitious projects into the budget, evading scrutiny by anti-corruption agencies.

This came despite the efforts of the ICPC and Civil Society Organizations to monitor constituency projects, uncovering fraudulent practices by federal and state legislators alike.

In light of these developments, CHRICED called upon all relevant anti-corruption agencies to not only investigate Senator Ningi’s allegations but also to scrutinize the constituency project portion of the annual budget, which has turned into a vehicle for embezzlement.

Zikirullahi stated: “CHRICED consequently calls on the ICPC, the EFCC, and other relevant anti-corruption agencies, such as the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to jointly launch a special investigation into Senator Ningi’s weighty charges and make their findings public.

“We urge the anti-corruption agencies to focus their attention on the constituency project component of the annual budget, as it has become a conduit pipe for legislators to siphon public funds into their private pockets, as evidenced by the recent budget padding controversy in the Senate.”

CHRICED, further, encouraged civil society organizations across Nigeria to initiate protests against the endemic corruption that has led to widespread insecurity in the country.

“It is time to inform our reckless legislators that enough is enough. Nigerians need better governance and accountability from their elected political representatives.

“It is time for all stakeholders to band together and demand openness and accountability in all facets of government.

“By holding our leaders responsible and exposing corrupt practices, we can help to create a more just and equitable society for all Nigerians.

“Together, we can combat corruption and guarantee that public monies are utilized for the benefit of the people, rather than to line the coffers of a corrupt politicians.”