Shehu Sani

Former Kaduna lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has provided an insight into how members of the National Assembly manipulate Nigeria’s budgets.

Recall that the Senate has been enmeshed in a padding scandal following allegations by now-suspended Bauchi Central lawmaker Abdul Ningi that the sum of N3.7 trillion in the budget was not tied to any project.

Ningi was reported to have made the claim during a BBC Hausa Service interview last weekend.

Following the allegations levelled against the red chamber, the Senate has suspended Ningi, asking him not to participate in all the activities of the 10th Senate.

In a post on X on Thursday, Shehu Sani explained that budget padding involved adding a new project or inflating the cost of projects in the budget.

Hw wrote: “Many people hear about paddling but don’t actually know what it means: Paddling budget means tampering with the budget presented by the President or the MDA’s by either adding figures to the costs of projects or by inserting projects that were not in the original budget presented.

“For example, a Minister can say he wants to buy 5 Buckets for his ministry at 5k each; magically, he will see 8 Buckets approved for him or 5 Buckets approved at the rate of 10k each or he will see Shovels and diggers added to his request for Buckets.”

-Vanguard