JUST IN: Senate Suspends Ningi For 3 Months Over 2024 Budget Padding Claim

The Nigerian Senate has suspended Bauchi Central Senator and chairman of Northern Senators Forum (NSF), Abdul Ningi, from the Red Chamber for three months.

Gatekeepers News reports that the decision followed the lawmaker’s claim that the 2024 Budget was allegedly padded by N3trillion and that there were two versions of the budget in circulation, among others.

Prior to the suspension order, lawmakers had debated a set of prayers contained in a motion earlier moved by Ogun West Senator, Olamilekan Adeola, on the breach of his privilege following the claim by Senator Ningi.

The prayers sought punitive measures against Ningi for his action, among others, which included suspension from the Senate.

Ningi, who was reported to have made the claim during a BBC Hausa Service interview at the weekend, however, denied the reports on Monday, saying he was quoted out of context because he spoke in Hausa language.

At the resumed plenary of the Senate on Tuesday, chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Adeola Olamilekan, raised the issue through a motion, calling for the investigation of the claim by Ningi.

Senator Olamilekan’s motion was seconded by Senator Joel Onawakpo, afterwhich Senators engaged in a heated debate to speak on the matter.

Meanwhile, the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, representing Ekiti Central of Ekiti State, accused the Bauchi Central Senator of an ulterior motive of plotting a coup against the Senate President Akpabio.

He claimed that the Bauchi lawmaker’s action was a fallout of the June 13, 2023 election of the Senate leadership, which produced Akpabio as the Senate President.

“What my big brother Senator Abdul Ningi planned to do was tantamount to a civilian coup on the platform of the Northern Senators Forum.

“Attempts to take the Senate leadership election beyond June 13 must be stopped.

“Mr. President, make no mistake. A few people who had given you not more than one year on the seat are planning to remove you before June 13 this year.

“Mr President, I plead with you, this is an opportunity to follow our rules. I beg all of you, let’s do the right thing today,” Bamidele argued in favour of suspending Ningi from the Senate.