Senate Suspends Senator Abdul Ningi For 3 Months Over Budget Padding Claims
In a significant development at the Senate, Senator Abdul Ningi has been suspended for three months following his claims of budget padding amounting to N3.7 trillion, which he alleged was untraceable to any project.
The motion for Ningi’s suspension was brought forward by Senator Jimoh Ibrahim during a plenary session in the Red Chamber, with support from other senators. Senator Ibrahim argued that Ningi’s allegations lacked credible evidence, thereby contravening the ethics and values of the Senate.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, in response to the motion, concurred with the resolution for Ningi’s suspension for three months.
This development comes in the wake of allegations raised by Senator Ningi last week, wherein he accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the presidency of padding the budget currently being implemented, against the budget passed by the chamber. These allegations sparked public outrage and demands for investigations.
Senator Ningi persisted in his claims, specifically pointing out an unaccounted sum of N3.7 trillion in the 2024 budget. However, some senators from the north distanced themselves from Ningi’s assertions, asserting that he did not represent their views.
Initially, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim moved for Ningi’s suspension for 12 months, citing allegations of criminal misinformation and breach of peace in the National Assembly and the country at large. However, other lawmakers, including Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong and Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, proposed amendments to the motion, seeking a reduction in the suspension period to six and three months, respectively.
Senator Akpabio conducted a voice vote, during which the majority of lawmakers supported Ningi’s suspension for three months, considering his offenses as “grievous.”
The suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi underscores the seriousness with which the Senate regards allegations of budget padding and the maintenance of ethical standards within its ranks.
