The Northern Senators Forum (NSF) Chairman and former Senate Deputy Leader, Senator Abdul Ningi, who represents the PDP in Bauchi Central, has been suspended by the Senate for a period of three months.
Senator Ningi is not permitted to take part in any activity within the 10th Senate during this time.
The Senate did, however, also clarify that Senator Ningi may be restored to his parliamentary position provided he makes a formal apology within this time frame.
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Tuesday’s decision came about as a result of a proposal made by Senator Olamilekan Adeola, the APC’s representative in Ogun West and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations.
The motion addressed accusations made by Senator Ningi about the N28.7 trillion 2024 Appropriations Act allegedly including N3 trillion in budget padding.
According to Senator Ningi, the National Assembly approved a N25 trillion budget for the fiscal year 2024, but the President’s implementation of that same budget came to N28.7 trillion.
While these accusations were being discussed, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim of the APC, Ondo South, suggested that Senator Ningi be suspended for the first year. Senator Edeh Dafinone of the APC, Delta Central, seconded the proposal.
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Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, an APC representative from Cross River South, did, however, propose a change that would have shortened the suspension to six months. Then, Senator Sani Musa of the APC, Niger East, seconded an additional amendment put forth by Senator Musa Garba Maidoki of the PDP, Kebbi South, calling for a three-month suspension.
At 3:19 p.m., Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President, presided over a vote on the new amendment. Senator Ningi promptly exited the room after this.
The Senate suspended former Majority Leader Ali Ndume for six months in 2017 for failing to carry out due diligence before to filing a petition against Senate President Bukola Saraki and Senator Dino Melaye, who was then representing Kogi West. This situation bears similarities to that occurrence.
Tumultuous debates centred on the accusations made by Senator Ningi during Tuesday’s Senate session. Senator Olamilekan Adeola, who claimed that his privileges had been violated, added to the complexity of the situation.
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Senator Ningi granted an interview to the BBC Hausa Service, during which Senator Adeola provided a notarized transcription of Ningi’s allegations regarding the budget inconsistencies previously noted.
Amidst the turmoil, PDP senator from Kebbi Central, Senator Adamu Aliero, underlined that Senator Ningi must receive a fair hearing in accordance with the constitution.
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