Senator Abruptly Ends Interview Over Budget Scrutiny Questions

• Cross River North Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe cuts short television appearance
• Expressed reluctance to discuss 2024 budget details, citing potential “wahala”
• Incident occurs amid controversy surrounding alleged N3.7 trillion budget padding

Eko Hot Blog reports that in a dramatic turn of events during a live television interview, Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, representing Cross River North in the National Assembly, abruptly ended the session after being asked probing questions about the 2024 federal budget.

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The incident unfolded on Sunday during an appearance on Arise News’ breakfast show, where Jarigbe was a remote guest. As the interview progressed, one of the anchors sought the lawmaker’s perspective on the budgetary provisions, specifically inquiring about the details of the allocations.

However, Jarigbe expressed reluctance to delve into the finer points of the budget, stating that he did not scrutinize the document line by line. When the anchor pressed further, suggesting that as an elected representative, it was his duty to examine the budget closely, the Senator grew visibly uncomfortable.

“I was not elected by the people of Cross River North, you are, it’s your duty, I believe, not mine (to scrutinize the budget), but let’s move on…,” the TV anchor remarked, prompting a defensive response from Jarigbe.

“Come oh, what is this budget, budget talk nah? I want to talk about my thanksgiving and representation to my people, you people are doing budget, budget, I will walk away oh. You people want me to say something that I will go and face wahala, you should allow me oh, let me serve my people quietly,” the Senator retorted before the connection was abruptly lost.

The incident comes amidst ongoing controversy surrounding allegations of budget padding, with Bauchi Central Senator Abdul Ningi claiming that the 2024 budget was inflated by a staggering N3.7 trillion. Both the National Assembly and the Executive arm of government have refuted Ningi’s allegations, leading to his suspension for three months.

Jarigbe’s reluctance to engage in detailed discussions about the budget and his apparent concern over potential repercussions have raised questions about transparency and accountability in the budgetary process. The abrupt termination of the live interview has fueled further speculation and calls for greater scrutiny of the government’s financial policies and expenditures.