enate suspends Abdul Ningi for three months over false budget padding claims
The senate has suspended Abdul Ningi, senator representing Bauchi central, for alleging that the 2024 budget was padded by N3 trillion.
The matter was debated in line with the standing order of the senate at a near rancorous plenary on Tuesday that lasted for over three hours.
The upper legislative chamber suspended the lawmaker after a motion on privilege moved by the Chairman Senate Committee on Appropriation and lawmaker representing Ogun West on the Platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Solomon Adeola.
At the weekend, Ningi stirred has now been termed a “damaging” discourse when he made the allegation and said a “huge damage” has been done to the north and the entire country through the budget.
The national assembly had passed a budget of N28.7 trillion for the 2024 fiscal year.
President Bola Tinubu had earlier proposed N27.5 trillion, but the lawmakers jerked it up by N1.2 trillion.
While moving his motion, Adeola argued that his privilege was breached because he was part of the processes that produced the 2024 budget.
“My privilege has been breached because I was one of those who participated in the preparation of the budget. With what has transpired in the last three days, my privilege has been breached,” the senator said.
“One of the senators of this chamber granted an interview to BBC Hausa and issues relating to budget were mentioned.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I have the full transcript – notarised – of the interview and I have here in a flash the voice of Abdul Ningi and I want to lay it before the senate.
“It becomes necessary because of the headlines that have come from these interviews.”
Though Ningi got up to defend himself, insisting that he had documents to back up his claim, the majority of the senators sought his punishment.
Opeyemi Bamidele, majority leader of the senate, said the comments by Ningi were an attempt to “overthrow” Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
“What he did was tantamount to a coup using the platform of the Northern Senators Forum (NSF),” Bamidele said
Some lawmakers who insisted that the Bauchi lawmaker be punished urged the Senate President to suspend Ningi for 12 months, others advocated for six months, but Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger State) amended the earlier prayers and sought for three months suspension which was eventually accepted by the majority of the Senators when the President of the Senate put the matter to vote.
