Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, has criticized Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) over his statement regarding the alleged padding of the 2024 Appropriation Act.
Responding to Obi’s tweet on the matter, Onanuga advised him to refrain from commenting on issues in the public domain without first verifying their authenticity. He stated, “There was no padding.
My advice: don’t always jump into a matter in public space without first of all confirming its authenticity.”
Obi had earlier expressed concerns about the lack of transparency in managing public funds, calling it a breach of trust.
His comments came in the wake of Senator Abdul Ningi’s claim that projects worth N3.7 trillion in the 2024 Appropriation Act were untraceable.
Ningi, the Chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum, alleged in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service that the National Assembly passed a N25 trillion budget for 2024, contradicting the N28.7 trillion being implemented by the Federal Government.
In response, Obi described the alleged N3 trillion discrepancy as deeply disconcerting and demanded a public explanation from both the National Assembly and the Presidency.
He emphasized the need for full accountability of all public resources.
The Presidency, however, refuted Senator Ningi’s claim, stating that it was false and there was no truth to the allegation.
Support InfoStride News' Credible Journalism: Only credible journalism can guarantee a fair, accountable and transparent society, including democracy and government. It involves a lot of efforts and money. We need your support. Click here to Donate