Senate Suspends Ningi For Three Months Over Budget Padding Claims
Senator Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, faced suspension for three months following allegations of budget padding amounting to N3.7 trillion in the 2024 Budget.
Under the leadership of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the Senate took action against Ningi after a heated session, during which members debated the severity of the accusations.
The motion for Ningi’s suspension initially proposed a 12-month duration by Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, citing criminal misinformation and breaches of peace within the National Assembly and the country. However, Senators Asuquo Ekpenyong and Abdulfatai Buhari advocated for reducing the suspension period to six and three months, respectively.
Akpabio, deeming Ningi’s offenses as serious, conducted a voice vote resulting in a majority supporting the three-month suspension.
Ningi’s claim regarding the existence of two versions of the 2024 budget, with one allegedly favoring the North, stirred controversy. Despite his denial of suggesting the existence of dual budgets, he insisted that a significant portion of the budget lacked project allocations.
Meanwhile, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele characterized Ningi’s allegations as a “civilian coup,” accusing him of attempting to destabilize Akpabio’s leadership by inciting the Northern Senators’ Forum against him.
Bamidele stressed the importance of upholding the Senate’s stability and the need to thwart any attempts to undermine Akpabio’s presidency.
He highlighted the peaceful tenures of past Senate leaders such as Aminu Tambuwal and Ahmad Lawan, emphasizing the necessity of maintaining stability and adherence to constitutional principles.
Bamidele concluded by urging unity among Senators to safeguard the integrity of the Senate and its leadership, particularly in light of challenges posed by internal dissent and power struggles.
Credit: Daily Post