In a dramatic turn of events, the Nigerian Senate suspended Senator Abdul Ningi for a period of three months on Wednesday, following allegations of a whopping N3.7 trillion padding of the 2024 Budget.
The Upper Legislative Chamber was plunged into chaos as deliberations on budget padding allegations made by the lawmaker intensified. Solomon Olamilekun, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, spearheaded the motion that ultimately led to Senator Ningi’s suspension. Olamilekun clarified that the contested figure was not reflected in the budget due to certain agencies being on first-line charge. Despite being granted a fair hearing on the Senate floor, Senator Ningi staunchly maintained his assertion that N3.7 trillion remained unaccounted for in the 2024 budget.
Tensions escalated when Senator Agom Jarigbe asserted that dwelling on the issues would be futile as all lawmakers were implicated in the alleged budget padding scandal. He went on to disclose that while some legislators received N500 million, others pocketed as much as N100 billion from the budget. Jarigbe’s revelation triggered uproar among his colleagues, resulting in a chaotic session lasting nearly 30 minutes.
Adding fuel to the fire, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele accused Senator Ningi of harboring ulterior motives, alleging a plot to overthrow Akpabio’s Senate Presidency. Bamidele suggested that Ningi’s actions stemmed from dissatisfaction with Akpabio’s election as Senate President on June 13, 2023.
Jimoh Ibrahim, a member of the Appropriation Committee, initially proposed a 12-month suspension for Ningi, citing allegations of criminal misinformation and breach of peace within the National Assembly and the country at large. However, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong moved to amend the motion, advocating for a reduction in the suspension duration.
After thorough deliberations under the guidance of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the Senate agreed to suspend Senator Ningi for three months from all parliamentary activities, while Senator Kawu received a cautionary warning.
In the aftermath of his suspension, Senator Abdul Ningi tendered his resignation as the Chairman of the Northern Senators forum.