Alleged N2.7Trn Budget Padding: Senate Suspends Senator Abdul Ningi
The Senate on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 suspended Senator Abdul Ningi, (PDP Bauchi Central) for three months for falsely accusing the Senate leadership of N3.7trillion padding of the 2024 budget.
The suspension followed a stormy session and heated debate at Senate plenary over allegations pushed through the Northern Senators Forum (NSF).
While moving the motion for the suspension of Senator Ningi for 12 months, a member of the Senate Appropriation Committee, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, said the allegation made by Senator Ningi was criminal misinformation and breach of peace in the National Assembly and by extension, the country.
In his own contribution to the motion, the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele said that Senator Ningi action was akin to planning a civilian coup targeted at removing the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio.
However, Senators Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River South) and Abdulfatai Buhari (Oyo North) moved for an amendment of the motion by earlier moved by Senator Jimoh Ibrahim and urged the Senate to reduce the duration of the suspension to six and three months respectively as against the 12 months.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, who described Ningi’s offences as “grievous”, conducted a voice vote during which most of the lawmakers voted in support of three months suspension for Senator Ningi.
