TINUBU, AKPABIO ON WAR PATH OVER N687BILLION PADDED INTO THE 2024 BUDGET
Things appear to be falling apart for President Bola Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabio over the N687billion padded into the Nigeria’s 2024 Budget of N27.5trillion.
Insiders told me that Tinubu is angry that while Akpabio told him each of the 109 Senators and 360 Rep Members were getting N3billion and N1billion each for their Zonal Intervention Project Funds, ZIPF, making a total of N687billion padded into the 2024 budget, only N250million and N200million got to the Lawmakers.
Investigations revealed that bulk of the funds which should have gone to the Lawmakers for ZIPF, were split into different agencies to be awarded as contracts to Akpabio’s friends and cronies.
For instance, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, Chairman Senate Committee on Niger Delta, who is a lackey of Akpabio, used his position to ensure that most of the padded budget funds were rolled into the NDDC Budget yet to be passed.
More than half of the N1.9trillion 2024 NDDC Budget document currently in my possession are for projects in Akwa Ibom state where Akpabio has special interests.
The 2024 NDDC Budget which I am currently studying is one of the most scandalous piece of document I have ever seen.
Meanwhile, about 78 Senators have indicated interest to support the impeachment of Akpabio. Amongst them are the South West Caucus members who are only waiting for the go ahead of the President before they can proceed with the plan.
