Senators on Tuesday before the Senate slammed three months suspension on Senator Abdul Ningi ( PDP Bauchi Central) over allegation of budget padding , opened can of worms on uneven allocations of funds for their constituencies in the N28.7trillion 2024 budget.
This was as Senator Ningi resigned his chairmanship position of Northern Senators’ Forum after the Senate suspended him for three months and barred him from entering the premises of the National Assembly during the period for failing to prove his allegation of budget padding.
First to open can of worms on alleged uneven allocations of funds to Senatorial Districts for constituency projects, was Senator Ningi himself who in defending allegation that the 2024 budget was padded, said while some Senatorial Districts were given N120billion for constituency projects while his own Bauchi Central Senatorial District, got just N2billion.
“There were humongous anomalies of repetition of funds in the 2024 budget from which i said N3.7trillion was still hanging from the N28.7trillion passed and assented to.
“80% of what Senator Solomon Adeola read as English version of the interview i granted the BBC Hausa service , was correct , but i never said we are running two budgets . What i said is that only N25trillion are traceable to projects and locations,” he said.
Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe ( PDP Cross River North) in his contribution during Committee of the whole trial of Senator Ningi by the Senate , said uneven distribution of budgetary allocation made by Senator Ningi , was true as he doesn’t get anything , while the ranking Senators got N500million each , others N75million.
However the can of worms submissions did not distract the Senate from fully taken Senator Ningi up on budget padding allegation he made.
Senator Ningi’s road to three months suspension, was laid by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation , Solomon Adeola ( APC Ogun West) who through orders 9, 10, 41 and 51 of the Senate standing rules , moved motion for appropriate sanction to be taken against Ningi.
Senator Adeola in the motion said contrary to what Ningi alleged , no dime in the N2i.7trillion 2024 budget hanging.
According to him details of allocations to National Assembly , Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , Universal Basic Education Commission ( UBEC), North East Development Commission ( NEDC) , Niger Delta Development Commission ( NDDC ) etc , were not provided for in the budget as it has been the practice over the years.
“So it very wrong for Senator Ningi to say that since details of such allocations were not provided for in the budget , that the sum total of them , is hanging or signifying budget padding,” he said.
Many other Senators like Sani Musa ( APC Niger East ), Sadiq Umar ( APC Kwara North) , Abba Moro ( PDP Benue South ) , Adams Oshiomhole ( APC Edo North) etc , made submissions that Ningi should be sanctioned for the unfounded allegation he made , which according to them , breached their privileges and tarnished the image of the Senate.
Though Senators like the Whip of the Senate , Ali Ndume ( APC Borno South), Adamu Aliero ( PDP Kebbi Central ) etc , in their submissions , pleaded for soft landing for Ningi by allowing him to apologise and rest the matter.
But the Leader of the Senate , Senator Opeyemi Bamidele , countered them by insisting that Ningi must be sanctioned in line with Senate rules for doing what can be described as civilian coup against the leadership of the Senate and in particular , its President , Senator Godswill Akpabio.
He said : ” We must never accept any apology from Senator Ningi. It is ridiculous to do so. He lied deliberately. Mr Senate President, you’re occupying that seat 40 years after a South South person occupied it.
“The last time a Southerner was there was during Obasanjo and they were being changed every time. It was only stable when it returned to the north. David Mark spent 8 years, Saraki completed his 4 years, Lawan spent his 4 years.
” Don’t be deceived, the losers of June 2023 Senate President election are still angry. Some have accepted but a few haven’t.
” They have plotted to remove you before June 2024. That is why you must not allow this deliberate mischief by Ningi to go away. He did it on purpose. He knew he was lying, he set the public against you, he will do it again. We must apply our sanction”
Consequently, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim ( APC Ondo South ) moved motion that Senator Ningi should be suspended for 12 calendar months , while Senator Summaila Kawu ( NNPP Kano South) , who amplified Ningi’s allegations through the platform of Northern Senators’s forum , should be made to tender written apology and cautioned.
But after series of amendments on the motion , the Senate eventually suspended Senator Abdul Ningi for three months and cautioned Senator Kawu against spreading falsehood on Nothern Senators Forum platform.
Immediately after his suspension as announced by the President of the Senate , Godswill Akpabio, Senator Ningi, packed all the hefty documents he brought to the chamber to prove his allegation and walked out .
Akpabio in his remarks said , suspension of Senator Ningi for three months , was on the strength of amendment made by Senator Garba Musa Maidoki and seconded by Senator Sani Musa to earlier motion moved by Senator Jimoh Ibrahim.
” This means that Senator Ningi will be on suspension from the Senate for three months or call back before expiration of three months if remorseful apology is written and tendered “, he said .
