Senate President Goodwill Akpabio on Tuesday accused Bauchi Central Senator, Abdul Ningi, of damaging the image of the Senate.

Akpabio was reacting to Ningi’s N3.7 trillion budget padding allegations.

Ningi had alleged that projects worth N3.7 trillion in the 2024 Appropriation Act are not traceable.

Ningi, who is the Chairman of Northern Senators Forum, alleged that the National Assembly debated and passed N25 trillion as 2024 budget and not the N28.7 trillion that is being implemented by the Federal Government.

He made the allegation while speaking in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service.

The Presidency denied the allegations, and although the Northern Senators Forum distanced itself from his claims, Ningi has insisted that the budget was padded.

Condemning the remark, Akpabio challenged Ningi to apologize for denting the image of the Senate.

Speaking on the floor of the Senate, Akpabio said: “I want Nigerians to know what Mr President presented to us in a joint meeting at the end of November 2023 for consideration was N27.5 trillion, so at no time did the President present N25 trillion.

“If there was any addition to the budget, it was N1.2 trillion.

This is not the speech I expected, I expected a speech of somebody saying I was sorry for being misquoted, the misinterpretation was this.

“But you went back to Arise TV yesterday night to justify your position that you have documents, even now in front of this Senate you claimed to have documents and they are with you.

“No senators or Nigerians know. At the same time, Nigerians are bashing the Senate; most Nigerians will never come back to respect this Senate in the future. The image of this chambers have been totally damaged and we wanted you to repair it with your speech.

“Instead of that, you claimed to have more documents to prove what you are saying.”