- Tinubu defends Senate against allegations of budget padding, says Nigerians don’t “understand the arithmetic”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday said that the perpetrators of the killing of soldiers in Delta State will face certain justice, warning that his administration will not tolerate attacks on the military and security infrastructure.
The President, who hosted the leadership of the Senate to a dinner to break the Ramadan fast at the State House on Thursday evening, said the military will continue to enjoy the support of his administration in neutralizing security threats across the country.
According to the President: “Our armed forces are working hard, and we will not allow attackers to undermine the integrity and value of our armed forces and its leadership.
“We will continue to encourage and fight for our sovereignty, our individual rights to exist, and we will succeed in banishing poverty from our land.’
President Tinubu told the leadership of the Senate that the integrity of the National Assembly must remain intact and that his administration will always encourage cooperation for the advancement of the nation.
“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.
“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 turning 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 affirmed.
President Tinubu 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.
In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio thanked the President for hosting the lawmakers, noting that regular interactions would enhance understanding and productive governance.
“We bring you greetings from the 10th senate. We bring you assurances of continuous collaboration because we believe strongly that for us to have two brothers from the National Assembly as President and Vice-President, and even the Chief of Staff as our member, we have no option but to work with you, and to do everything possible for this administration to succeed,’’ the President of the Senate said.
Chief Ajuri Ngelale
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
March 21, 2024
