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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The senator representing Cross River North in the National Assembly, Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, on Sunday abandoned a live interview on Arise Television to avoid “wahala” over the 2024 budget.
‘Wahala’ is a Pidgin English terminology, which translates to ‘trouble’ in English.
Jarigbe was the senator who alleged that some “senior senators” collected N500 million in the 2024 budget for constituency projects.
His disclosure immediately led to a rowdy session during plenary in the Senate last month.
During the interview, the host said she found it fascinating that Jarigbe said he did not familiarise himself with the 2024 budget, adding that she had gone through the line items of the appropriation act herself.
Responding, the lawmaker asked her if she knew how much was voted for projects in her senatorial district.
The anchor replied by saying she only scrutinised the budget of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) and not by senatorial districts.
Jarigbe, who is the chairman of Senate committee on gas said he only wanted to speak about his representation and people.
“Come oh, what is this budget, budget talk na?
“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,” he said.
The interview line went dead afterwards as the anchors repeatedly asked the senator if he was still there, but he was not.
The budget came under scrutiny recently after the suspended senator representing Bauchi Central, Abdul Ningi, said the 2024 appropriation act was padded by N3 trillion.
Watch video below:
