On Tuesday, the Senate handed a three-month suspension on Senator Abdul Ningi over the allegation that the 2024 budget was padded to the tune of N3 trillion.
Some members of the Northern Senators Forum, which Ningi chairs, had dissociated themselves from the allegation.
“We, the undersigned on behalf of the Senators from the 19 Northern States and the FCT, under the aegis of Northern Senators Forum (NSF), hereby state that Senator Ahmed Abdul Ningi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP, Bauchi Central), who also happens to be the chairman of our forum, was on his own in the claims he made on the BBC Hausa Service on the 2024 budget.
“As such, the view he expressed was his personal opinion, sentiment and unfortunately skewed, incorrect and misleading.
“There was never a time where we held a meeting and mandated Senator Ningi to address the press on the said matter.
“The budget was presented to the National Assembly during a joint session of the two chambers – Senate and House of Representatives – by President Bola Tinubu on November 29, 2023, in line with the requirement of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the Senators states.
However, the defiant Senator said he stood by his allegation, and was ready to be suspended by the Senate.
“I am not afraid of suspension by the Senate. I stand by what I said: N3.7 Trillion is not traced to any project in the 2024 Budget.
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“I spoke for myself and not on behalf of the Northern Senator Forum. I never said the federal government is operating with two budgets.
“I only said N25 trillion was traced to projects and N3.7 trillion was not traced to any project,” Ningi had said.
Dared by Ningi’s boast, the Senate handed a three-months suspension after a rowdy session.
Shortly after his suspension, Ningi tendered his letter of resignation as chairman of the Northern Senators Forum.
Reacting to the suspension, Senator Shehu Sani, in a tweet on his X handle @ShehuSani stated his implications for Ningi’s suspension:
- Ningi’s suspension means he will not be allowed to attend the plenary
- He will be prohibited from attending committee meetings
- Will not participate in oversight functions
- His salary, allowances and all entitlements will be blocked
- He will not have access to his office
- Ningi is expected not to be seen within the premises of the National Assembly,until the suspension is lifted.
Sani said when he disclosed the take-home salaries, it was the then Senate president that saved him from suspension.
“When I publicly disclosed the salaries and running costs of lawmakers, it was the then Senate president who saved me from suspension.
“If you talk too much, your bodi go tell you.
“That is why even the opposition no fit oppose too much,” he tweeted.
