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Buhari admits budget padding, vows to deal with culprits

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After weeks of silence, President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday evening, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, admitted that the 2016 budget was padded. He also vowed to deal with all those responsible.

The President, according to a statement issued on wednesday by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, stated this while addressing the Nigerian community in Saudi Arabia.

According to the President, the alterations which he said were embarrassing and disappointing, changed the budget proposal from what was prepared by the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, adding that the distortions were the handiwork of those he described as entrenched interests.

Read also: #2016budget: Auditor-General disputes FG’s claim on zero budget

President Buhari however exonorated the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udo Udoma, saying he worked hard to do a good job.

“The culprits will not go unpunished. I have been a military governor, petroleum minister, military Head of State and headed the Petroleum Trust Fund.

“Never had I heard the words budget padding. Our Minister of Budget and National Planning did a great job with his team.

“The Minister became almost half his size during the time, working night and day to get the budget ready, only for some people to pad it.

“What he gave us was not what was finally being debated. It is very embarrassing and disappointing. We will not allow those who did it to go unpunished.”

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