By Blessing Chinagorom
The Senator, Abdul Ningi who is representing Bauchi Central (PDP), double as Chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum, Senate Committee on Population alleged that N3.7 trillion was padded in the 2024 budget.
He contended in a BBC Hausa Service interview that the Federal Government, led by Tinubu, was executing a budget significantly higher than what was passed by the National Assembly, saying N25tn budget was debated and passed, not the N28.7tn that is currently being implemented.
It was reported that Ningi, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Bauchi Central Senatorial District, was suspended for three months after a long stormy session in the red chamber on Tuesday.
The report further said a member of the Appropriation Committee in the Senate, Jimoh Ibrahim, first moved the motion for Ningi’s suspension for 12 months over allegations of criminal misinformation and breach of peace in the National Assembly and the country by extension.
However, other lawmakers like Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong moved for amendment of the motion by Ibrahim. Ekpenyong, who is from Cross River South Senatorial District; and Senator Abdulfatai Buhari from Oyo North prayed for the reduction of the suspension to six and three months respectively.
The Senate President Godwiy Akpabio, who described Ningi’s offences as “grievous”, conducted a voice vote during which most of the lawmakers voted in support of Ningi’s suspension for three months.
Speaking during an open session he president on the floor of the Senate, Akpabio said the upper chamber has been subjected to ridicule as Nigerians are bashing the parliament.
Akpabio faulted Ningi’s earlier interview and for also granting a follow-up interview where he purportedly justified his initial claim of budget padding.
“Nigerians are bashing the Senate. Many Nigerians will never in future come back to respect this chamber. The integrity of this chamber has been totally damaged and we wanted you to repair it with your speech,” he said.
“Instead of that, you said you have more documents to prove what you are saying. This thing is in the public glare. I have not received full details up to this moment. If you had given me full details, I would have been able to know what you know.
“So far, what you know is only known to you, it is not known to any other person. I don’t know how you rushed to the press carrying different versions. The social media is very fast. From Canada, United States, the story was budget padding by the Senate.
“I can quote a section of the Premium Times that said ‘this is the highest level of budget padding in Nigeria’s history where the budget passed a budget of N25 trillion but what we collect was N28 trillion”, he said.
On X, the aide to former Vice President, Reno Omokri said, “How many Labour Party Senators walked out with Senator Ningi when he was suspended and chased out of the Red Chamber? Zero.
“And we have at least six Labour Senators. By not walking out with Ningi, they sided with the decision to suspend him and went against their Presidential candidate.
“Therefore, to project that the Labour Party is better than any other party is to live in denial. Even when Peter Obi criticised the National Assembly for buying 400 SUVs, did any Labour Senator or Representative reject their SUVs? No. They just said ‘Igwe’ to Akpabio and collected their share of the National Cake!
He added, “Look, I believe Senator Ningi should have told Nigerians that he was raising an alarm and not stating a fact. In that interview, he spoke as if he had facts. He did not! This is not the first time someone has been expelled from a hallowed chamber.
“Satan also lied and was expelled from Heaven. Nigeria is a delicate country. Some unpatriotic citizens have been calling for a military coup. Ningi’s alarm could have given military adventurers a reason to act.
“What he ought to have done was to investigate and if verified, then go public. But by going public without first verifying his claims, undermined the National Assembly, the Federal Government, and democracy. I have no sympathy for him”, Omokri said.
“The battle in the Senate is a battle of interests. May the best side win. I like dogs, but I’ve got none in this fight.
“That said, questions have been asked that have now placed the Senate in a position where it must show the public its side of the accusations. Show, not just tell. You can’t wish it away. And saying nothing ultimately rings louder.
“Suspending the senator will always be seen as one side taking a shot at another side. It doesn’t in any way suggest that the public’s interest has been addressed or seen to be, JJ Omojuwa said on X @omojuwa.
Meanwhile, the SERAP has threatened to sue the Senate over what it claimed “unlawful” suspension of the whistleblower, Senator Abdul Ningi for 3 months over his allegation that the Senate inserted projects worth N3 trillion in the 2024 budget, contrary to the Nigerian Constitution and international standards.
The Rights organization who had earlier called on the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently set up a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the allegation by the Senator over 3.7trn budget padding, seeked those responsible be prosecuted and the padded public funds recovered.
Also, the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu was in closed-door talks with Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, and other lawmakers at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, following the suspension of Senator Ningi over Budget padding claim.