The Senate on Tuesday suspended Senator Abdul Ningi over allegations of N3.7trn padding of the 2024 Budget.
Ningi, who until yesterday was chairman Northern senator’s forum in the senate, was suspended for three months after a long stormy session in the red chamber.
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 the 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.
Senate President Godswill 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.
In an interview with the BBC, Ningi said the Federal Government is operating two versions of the 2024 budget and that the N28.7 trillion Budgets passed and signed into law by President Bola Tinubu was skewed against the North.
Many Senators and the Presidency had pounced on Ningi, describing his claims as “far-fetched and unbecoming of a leader of his status”.
Ningi would later deny saying that the country is operating two budgets but insisted that only N25trn of the budget was tied to projects while N3.7trn had no project tied to it.
Ningi had on Monday said he was ready to carry his cross, even if it means suspension from the upper legislative chamber.
Budget Padding Allegation: Senate Suspends Ningi For Three Months
