<p><img width="1000" height="600" src="https://www.naijanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Ndume-new-1000x600.jpg" class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="'It Is Constitutional' - Ndume Reacts As Tinubu Directs NNPCL To Pay Crude Oil Sales Money To CBN" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://www.naijanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Ndume-new-1000x600.jpg 1000w, https://www.naijanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Ndume-new-590x354.jpg 590w, https://www.naijanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Ndume-new-400x240.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">The Chief Whip of the Senate, <a href="https://www.naijanews.com/topic/Ali-Ndume/">Ali Ndume</a>, has disclosed that he warned his colleague, <a href="https://www.naijanews.com/topic/Abdul-Ningi/">Abdul Ningi</a> on the allegation that the 2024 budget was padded by over N3 trillion.</h2>
<p>Ndume said he told Ningi to seek a consultant to analyse the budget.</p>
<p>However he stated that Ningi refused to listen to him.</p>
<p>Recall that, <a href="https://www.naijanews.com/2024/03/12/breaking-senate-suspends-senator-ningi-for-three-months/">Ningi</a> who represents Bauchi Central at the Senate, was on Tuesday suspended for three months over claims of budget padding.</p>
<p>Reacting to the development during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, Ndume insisted that the suspended Bauchi senator was wrong with his claim.</p>
<p>Ndume, "<em>I sat next to the Senate Leader (Opeyemi Bamidele), he was very angry about what Ningi did, but honestly me too. What he (Ningi) did was wrong because I was involved.</em></p>
<p><em>"In the first instance, it started when they said capital project was skewed to the South. The total in that budget that was brought before us by the President was not up to N9 trillion, it was N8.9trn and they are talking of skewed capital project to the South and the total adding up to N15 trillion.</em></p>
<p><em>“That N15 trillion is strange, even with the amendment that we made, the capital component of this budget is not up to that.</em></p>
<p><em>“I told him he was wrong. I had even warned him when he brought the issue to me. I had told him to get a consultant to analyze the budget. But he refused to listen to me.”</em></p>
<p>Ndume said Ningi was trying to make 2024 project an ethnic and political issue, which according to him is wrong.</p>
<p>The Senate Chief Whip said that when Ningi first presented the case to him, he told him to provide evidence which he could not.</p>
<p>He insisted that as a senior member of the Senate, he can attest to the fact that the North was not shortchanged by the South in the budget as claimed by Ningi.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.naijanews.com/2024/03/14/what-i-told-ningi-when-he-brought-the-budget-padding-issue-to-me-ndume/">What I Told Ningi When He Brought The Budget Padding Issue To Me – Ndume</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.naijanews.com">Naija News</a>.</p>
<img src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/a-canadian-passport-on-a-table-alongside-a-selection-of-images-of-vacation-destinations.jpg?id=54091662&width=1200&height=800&coordinates=0%2C136%2C0%2C137"/><br/><br/><p>The government is urging <a href="https://www.narcity.com/tag/international-travel-canada" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Canadians who have international travel plans</a> this fall and winter to double-check their passports' validity to avoid being refused entry at their destination.</p><p>On October 25, the Government of Canada released <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/news/2024/10/ahead-of-winter-travel-minister-beech-advises-travellers-to-check-their-passport-validity-and-apply-early.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a statement</a> advising travellers to ensure their passports are valid for at least six months prior to expiry, which is now a standard entry requirement in over 70 countries.</p><p>Popular destinations like Thailand, Singapore, China, and Turkey all follow this six-month passport rule, so failing to meet it could mean getting denied entry or even being unable to board your flight.</p><p>The "six-month rule" is an entry requirement in many countries to prevent travellers from overstaying or facing complications if they encounter travel delays or emergencies. Under this rule, your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your planned arrival date to be allowed entry.</p><p>The idea is to give travellers a buffer if their stay is unexpectedly extended or they need extra time for a safe return. It also ensures that even if a passport holder encounters unexpected circumstances—like health issues, flight cancellations, or emergencies—they'll have enough time on their passport to remain in the country legally until they can safely leave. </p><p>For Canadian travellers, this means that if your passport has less than six months left before expiring, you could face being denied entry at your destination, even if your actual travel period is much shorter.</p><p>To avoid issues, officials recommend starting the passport renewal process around six months before your passport expires. This allows extra time to gather necessary documents and avoid any last-minute rush, especially during the busy travel season.</p><p>For those without a passport or needing one for a child, Minister of Citizens' Services Terry Beech suggests applying as early as possible, ideally six months before any planned travel. You can make an appointment through <a href="https://eservices.canada.ca/en/menu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">eServiceCanada</a> at a nearby Service Canada location, where all forms need to be completed before your appointment. Walk-in services are also available if you don't have an appointment.</p><p>If you're applying for a new passport or renewing an existing one, here's what to know:</p><p><br/></p><h3>No immediate travel plans? </h3><br/><p>You can submit your passport application by mail or <a href="https://ircc.canada.ca/english/passport/map/map.asp" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">visit any Service Canada Centre</a>, passport office, or outreach site.</p><h3>Travelling in a few weeks?</h3><br/><p>Head to a Service Canada Centre or passport office that processes applications within ten business days. Just remember that mailing times can add a few extra days unless you choose to pick up your passport in person.</p><h3>Travelling in less than two weeks?</h3><br/><p>You'll need to visit a passport office that offers <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports/urgent-emergency-passport.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">urgent or express pick-up services</a>, which require proof of travel. You can find more details about urgent, express, and emergency services on the government's website.</p><p>In any case, if you have a specific travel date in mind, it's a good idea to include this in your application for faster processing.</p><p>Visit the <a href="https://travel.gc.ca/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Service Canada website</a> or check <a href="https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">travel advisories</a> for the latest information about passport services, including estimated wait times at locations offering 10-business-day processing. You'll also be able to check out the specific entry requirements at your destination, so you'll know whether the six-month rule will apply.</p><p>Safe travels, Montreal!</p><p><em>Before you get going, check out our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/responsible-travel-guidelines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Responsible Travel Guide</a> so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your trip.</em></p>
