Nigeria, March 22 -- President Bola Tinubu says the alleged padding of the 2024 budget by the National Assembly is nothing but a lack of misunderstanding of the arithmetic of the budget by critics.

Mr Tinubu stated this on Thursday while hosting senators to Iftar at the State House.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the massive smuggling of projects into the 2024 budget by the lawmakers.

While justifying the action of the lawmakers, Mr Tinubu, who was making his first direct response to the padding controversy, said he understands the arithmetic of the budget but critics do not.

He went further to pray the lawmakers for "expeditious handling of the budget".

"I know the arithmetic of the budget and the numbers that I brought to the National Asse...