By Oluwakayode Banjo
Senator Sharafadeen Alli (APC-Oyo South) has said that the 2024 Budget would benefit Nigerians, urging them to continue supporting President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
This is contained in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Akeem Abas and made available to newsmen on Friday in Ibadan.
The lawmaker made the call on Thursday while featuring on a programme ‘The Platform’ anchored by Akeem Kareem on Success 105.3 FM in Ibadan.
Alli, the Senate Committee Chairman on Electoral Matters, said that the president was leaving no stone unturned to return Nigeria to economic prosperity.
“The 2024 Budget is different from the 2023 budget. We’ve been running a deficit budget for several years. The reality today is that the percentage of the deficit is less than what it used to be.
“Today, we have more money to conserve as a result of improvement in revenue generation. President Tinubu is doing very well. May God bless him and give him good health.
“We are going to get there. It may not be really visible, but there have been lots of improvements. You can also see that those taking billions are not been spared,” he said.
Speaking on the distribution of cash to the vulnerable, Alli said it was not the best, but better than not doing anything at all.
He acknowledged the hardship Nigerians were going through which would soon be over, urging them to persevere.
“I am Nigerian and know things are very hard today. This hardship is temporary and will soon be over. It is just like pouring iodine on a sour, at first it will be painful and later dry off.
“Giving cash is not the best, but a stop-gap. It is better to give it than not doing anything at all,” he said.
The lawmaker described as untrue the information that all National Assembly members have collected bags of rice or hundreds of million naira, saying there was nothing of such.
According to him, it was a statement made by the president in October, but we haven’t received of such till we left on December 31, 2023.
“There is none of the three senators from Oyo State who has not distributed more than two trucks of rice during the festive period. This is purchased individually by the three senators.
“We have not received any rice from the government. We will continue to serve our people diligently as promised during the campaign,” he said.
Speaking on speculations that Alli was executive lots of projects within his district because he is eyeing the governorship seat in 2027, the lawmaker said that he was elected as a senator.
He said that he was being guided by his electioneering promises to the people, promising to do more for his people.
“I promised to sink 100 boreholes in the 99 wards that make up Oyo South. Today we have done more than 40 and hoping to finish by July this year.
“It is not about being governor, I was elected as a senator. I am contented today being a senator. Where I will be in 2027 is in the hand of God,” he said.
In the area of legislative functions, Alli said he had since his assumption of office been involved in several oversight functions.
The lawmaker said that no fewer than 1000 youths benefitted from e-commerce and agribusiness, while 3,000 widows as well as 3,000 traders benefitted from N70 million worth of food bank.
Alli said that he facilitated ICT centres, installed no fewer than 200 solar lights, donated inverters/boreholes to the police, paid WAEC fees of 54 students, constructed a public toilet, and assisted individuals and associations financially.
He said the 10th National Assembly under the leadership of Senator Godswill Akpabio is determined to make laws that would benefit Nigeria and Nigerians.
“I have been involved in some bills and motions, prominent among which was the one I moved for a befitting burial/Immortalisation of Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi, designer of the national flag.
“I have a private bill on pensioners issues. What we have on the ground today is not in consonance with realities. I already proposed some amendments to the bill.
“I am also much involved in the proposal for the establishment of the Federal Medical Centre in Ibarapa. This was the initial proposal of Dr Ajibola Muraina, the former representative of Ibarapa Central/North federal constituency,” he said.
Alli said that he was working with the incumbent representative of the Constituency, Dr Anthony Adepoju towards actualising the proposal at the National Assembly.
He said that he was also involved in the successes recorded in some oversight functions carried out by other committees of the National Assembly, particularly that of the judiciary.
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