President Bola Tinubu has argued that those alleging embellishments in the 2024 budget do not comprehend arithmetic.
Tinubu, who hosted the Senate leadership to supper to break the Ramadan fast at the State House in Abuja on Thursday, assured the members that their integrity remained intact.
“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,” the President said.
The 2024 budget was shrouded in controversy following allegations by Senator Abdul Ningi representing Bauchi Central, saying over N3.7 trillion in the budget could not be traced to any project.
The allegations, which landed him a three-month suspension, stimulated reactions from concerned Nigerians nationwide.
