Senator's Dramatic Exit from TV Interview Over Budget Padding Related Questions

 Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe of Cross River North reportedly left a live TV interview on Sunday midway through about the topic of the 2024 budget in order to avoid being suspended from the Senate. He claimed that this was done to prevent having to deal with "wahala."

While Jarigbe was a virtual guest on Arise News Channel's breakfast show, he was chastised by one of the anchors regarding specifics on the 2024 Budget. Drama, however, broke out when the senator claimed he had not read the budget line by line. The female anchor responded by calling it "fascinating" that the senator had not read the budget, which she had done.

Senator Jarigbe, looking uncomfortable, asked the TV anchor to explain the specifics of her senatorial district's financial provisions. The anchor responded that she didn't have the "arithmetic" and that she merely examined the budget Ministry by Ministry.

The TV presenter then responded “I was not elected by the people of Cross River North, you are, it is your duty, I believe, not mine (to scrutinise the budget), but let’s move on.”  

Senator Jarigbe then interrupted, asking, “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.” 

LEADERSHIP noted that the drama might not be unrelated to the fate of Senator Abdul Ningi of Bauchi Central, who was suspended by the Senate a few weeks ago for claiming, among other things, in a radio broadcast that the 2024 budget lacked sites and details for almost N3 trillion worth of projects.