A gubernatorial candidate under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Kaduna State, and Managing Consultant, Time-line Consult Limited, Shuaibu Idris, has admitted that the controversies behind the budget padding exercise was an issue which must not come into a repeat.

He disclosed this during a chat with some newsmen in Abuja, on Monday, saying that it was a total disgrace on the part of the Legislature and Executive arms of government.

He expressed delight on how the secrets was laid to bare in the present administration, adding that Nigerians should be happy that President Muhammadu Buhari, who does not tolerate nonsense, and some National Assembly members have decided to unilaterally come out and spill the beans.

While further stating that it was a national embarrassment which must never be allowed to recur in the country, he admitted that the executive and legislature must learn from the costly mistakes and address, tackle it headlong.

Shedding light on the issue of budget padding, Idris explained that the concept started with the second term tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, but did not start with budget padding. “It started with business men and women infiltrating the National Assembly, with a view to meeting with its members to ensure a particular project, which a business man or woman is interested in, is inserted in the budget, even if the executive did not propose that item of expenditure,” Idris explained.

“Henceforth, the leadership of the National Assembly or the Clerk must sit down and look into it properly and holistically to avert a repeat of such national embarrassment,” he said.

Idris further admitted that “the truth remains that those who are revealing the secrets too, cannot run away from the fact that they have not been involved in such act over the years. Many of them are in the picture because they have been in the system for many years.”

Idris however, called on relevant authorities to quickly investigate and prosecute accused persons behind the issue, so as to strengthen how the government is trying to better the Nigerian society.

•Photo shows PDP chieftain Shuaibu Idris.

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