Australia-based Nigerian publisher of 9News Nigeria, Mr Obinna Ejianya has urged the federal government and the National Assembly to investigate the allegations raised by Senator Abdul Ningi on the 2024 budget.
The CEO of Nine Communications Nigeria Limited in a post on his official Facebook and Twitter accounts said there was the need to investigate the allegations to ensure accountability in the budget process.
According to Mr Ejianya, “A system that is enshrined and shrouded in secrecy will hardly reproduce progress, while transparency is a starting point for a government that will succeed”.
“The government and the National Assembly must take immediate action to investigate these allegations and ensure accountability in the budget process.”
Mr Ejianya added, “When a government is operating in secrecy, the parties and accomplices would surely go ‘gaga’ knowing that no one will hold them accountable so long as everyone is guilty”.
“The result is bad governance, so much money in the bank accounts of the few people at the top, and resultant hardship and suffering for the majority of the citizens.”
He, however, pointed out that instead of condemning Senator Ningi, his actions should be recognised as heroic and patriotic, adding that National Assembly members and politicians in power should emulate Senator Ningi’s courage in exposing alleged budget padding and other corrupt practices.
In the post on Saturday titled ‘Senator Ningi’s Exposure of Budget Padding in the Nigerian Senate Should Be Applauded, Not Condemned’ emphasised the need for transparency and accountability in budgetary allocations.
He emphasised that Senator Ningi’s courageous act of exposing alleged budget padding “is worthy of emulation and deserves compliments other than condemnation”.
“It is deeply disheartening and despicable that while the Nigerian economy is in shambles, with the citizens grumbling and roaring in the face of the untold hardship they are passing through, the Nigerian lawmakers, especially the Senators could still connive and indulge in such alleged dastardly chronic act of sharing humongous amounts of money amongst themselves, in the guise of bogus constituency projects”.
