Just in: Senate suspends Ningi for three months over claims of budget padding

Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum (NSF), Senator Abdul Ningi

Just in: Senate suspends Ningi for three months over claims of budget padding

The Senate on Tuesday suspended Senator Abdul Ningi over allegations of N3.7tn padding of the 2024 budget.

Ningi, from Bauchi Central Senatorial District, was suspended for three months.

In an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, Ningi had claimed that the Federal Government was operating two versions of the 2024 budget and that the N28.7tn budget passed and signed into law by President Bola Tinubu was skewed against the North.

Many Senators and the Presidency had tacked Ningi, describing his claims as unbecoming of a leader of his status.

On Tuesday, a member of the Appropriation Committee in the Senate, Jimoh Ibrahim, 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.

But other lawmakers including 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 called 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.