Senate suspends Senator Ningi over alleged budget padding

The Senate has suspended the senator representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, Abdul Ningi, over his allegation of budget padding.

The Senate, on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, suspended Ningi for a period of three months.

This followed Senator Jimoh Ibrahim’s motion for Ningi’s suspension.

Ningi had accused the Senate of padding the 2024 appropriation bill to the tune of N3.7 trillion.

The lawmaker, who is Chairman of the Senate Committee on Population, had said there was another budget different from what was passed on the floor of the National Assembly.

The senator, in an interview with BBC last Saturday, alleged that the 2024 budget passed by the National Assembly was inflated, saying what was passed by the lawmakers was N25 trillion and not N28 trillion.

“For example, it was said that there was a budget of N28 trillion but what was passed was N25 trillion. So there is N3 trillion on top,” the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker declared.

Many lawmakers later called for a probe into the allegation, while some northern senators disowned Ningi’s claims, saying the senator did not speak for them.

Ningi, however, maintained his position on Monday that N3.7 trillion could not be accounted for in the 2024 budget.

‘Senators got N500m each’: Senate in rowdy session over budget padding

The Senate during Tuesday’s deliberation said Ningi should be suspended for alleged misconduct and refusal to apologise.

Senator Olamilekan Adeola (APC, Ogun West) during plenary in Abuja raised a motion that there is an urgent need to address the false allegation by Ningi.

Adeola, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, read the transcript of Ningi’s interview with the BBC on the floor of the Red Chamber after Senate President Godswill Akpabio called for a committee of the whole house.

Senator Ibrahim thereafter moved an amended motion for the suspension of Ningi for 12 months, adding that Senator Sumaila Kawu (Kano South, NNPP) be warned.

Senator Chris Ekpeyong (Akwa-Ibom North-West, PDP) opposed this by moving a motion of amendment that the suspension be reduced to six months, and it was seconded.

Another senator, Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South), however, made further amendment, asking that Ningi be suspended for three months.

After putting the amended motion to a voice vote, Akpabio declared: “Senator Ningi is hereby suspended from the Senate for a period of three months.”

Immediately after the pronouncement was made, Ningi was led out of the floor of the Senate by one of the Sergeants-at-arm.

The Star