Budget: We’ll expose ministers, others - Mark

Taiwo Adisa, Abuja - 20.12.2007

THE President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, has declared that the Senate will not hesitate to expose ministers and heads of parastatals who attempt to bribe senators in a bid to influence the 2008 budget.

Senator Mark, who stated this at an end of the year parley with newsmen in Abuja, said that the usual practice when the debate on budgets was being held, was for ministers and heads of parastatals to put senators under pressure and harass them with financial inducements so as to force them to influence budgetary provisions.

He declared that the current Senate had decided to put an end to ‘bribe for budget’ scandals.

He said that Senate would, however, go further to expose any minister who attempted to bribe senators.

“I would like to warn ministers and directors in departments that would want to come and tempt senators that they should desist, but if they do it, we will expose them.

“Very often, the senators are the ones who are exposed, this time around, the senators will expose those who try to corrupt them. So far they’ve resisted the temptation and they will continue to resist it, but I think anybody who has that intention should not actualise it because this Senate is not prepared for that.”