Senate May Reinstate Ningi Soon – Sources Assert
According to insiders, there is a possibility that the three-month suspension imposed on Senator Abdul Ningi for allegedly padding the 2024 budget with N3.7 trillion may undergo a review.
Recall that the Red Chamber, under the leadership of Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, decided to suspend the Bauchi lawmaker amidst the ongoing controversy.
Initially, Jimoh Ibrahim, a member of the Appropriation Committee in the Senate, proposed a motion to suspend Ningi for 12 months, citing allegations of criminal misinformation and breach of
peace within the National Assembly and the country as a whole.
However, sources close to the Senate leadership informed journalists on Sunday, March 17, that the accusation of budget padding was a deliberate attempt to tarnish the reputation of the National
Assembly and divert attention.
One of the sources mentioned that the matter leading to Ningi’s suspension is currently being resolved peacefully.
He said the suspended senator might be reinstated at any time “if he tenders a public apology to the Senate.”
“I can tell you there is no tension in the Senate. The Senate remains one. The allegation about budget padding is just a ploy to tarnish the image of the senate under Godswill Akpabio, who has
shown uncommon commitment towards tackling the various challenges confronting the country by fostering effective collaboration with the Executive without jeopardizing the principle of
separation of power.
“The N3.7 trillion that was mentioned represents the budget of government-owned enterprises (GOEs), and they are expected to come to the Senate to defend their budget because the details
are not always in the entire estimate. So, where is the budget padding allegation coming from? The budget was prepared by the executive. The House of Representatives plays more of a role in
scrutinizing the budget, so where’s this allegation coming from if not because some people felt they should be the President of the Senate and not Senator Akpabio?
“There was also the allocation for Zonal Intervention Projects (ZIPs) for members of the National Assembly for their constituencies. The money is not being released to any lawmaker but this is
in form of projects for their constituencies”, the lawmaker who did not wish to be name said.
It is worth noting that there has been pressure on the senate to revisit its action deemed unfair in some quarters.
