The Senate, under the leadership of Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday suspended Senator Abdul Ningi for three months over allegations of budget padding amounting to N3.7 trillion in the 2024 Budget. Senator Ningi represents Bauchi Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly.
The decision to suspend Senator Ningi was reached after a lengthy and contentious session in the red chamber.
A member of the Appropriation Committee, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, initially proposed a motion for Ningi’s suspension for 12 months, citing allegations of criminal misinformation and breach of peace in the National Assembly and the country at large.
However, other lawmakers, including Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong from Cross River South Senatorial District and Senator Abdulfatai Buhari from Oyo North, sought to amend the motion, proposing reductions in the suspension period to six and three months, respectively.
Senator Akpabio, referring to Ningi’s offenses as “grievous,” conducted a voice vote during which the majority of lawmakers supported Ningi’s suspension for three months.
In an interview, Senator Ningi had raised concerns about the 2024 budget, alleging that the Federal Government was operating two versions of the budget and that the N28.7 trillion budget passed and signed into law by President Bola Tinubu was biased against the North.
His claims drew swift criticism from many senators and the Presidency, who deemed them “far-fetched and unbecoming of a leader of his status.”
Ningi later clarified his statement, denying that he said the country was operating two budgets but maintained that only N25 trillion of the budget was allocated to projects, leaving N3.7 trillion without any project tied to it.
Despite the looming suspension, Senator Ningi expressed readiness to accept the consequences, even if it meant facing suspension from the upper legislative chamber.
