The Senate at its plenary on Tuesday suspended Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) for 3 months for an interview he granted British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
By Haruna Salami
The Senate at its plenary on Tuesday suspended Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) for 3 months for an interview he granted British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Hausa Service over alleged misinformation on 2024 Federal Government budget.
The suspension followed deliberation of a motion on “urgent need to address the false allegations against the Senate and the Presidency on the 2024 Appropriation Act by Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) sponsored by Senator Senator Solomon Olamilekan (Ogun West).
Ningi’s suspension from the Senate for 3 months means that he will not participate in any activity of the Senate and he will forfeit his emoluments, allowances, entitlements and other privileges as senator of Federal Republic.
The Senate noted that following the presentation of the 2024 Appropriation Bill of N27.5 trillion by President Bola Tinubu to the Joint Sitting of the Senate and the House of Representatives on Wednesday 29th November,2023 and the National Assembly passed a budget of N28.77 trillion and was assented by the President Tinubu on the 1st January, 2024.
However, Olamilekan said Ningi told the BBC Hausa that Nigeria was operating two budgets; N25 trillion passed by the National Assembly and N28.77 trillion being implemented by the the presidency.
Senator Olamilekan tendered the transcribed English version and a sift copy of the Ningi Hausa interview before the Senate.
When Ningi was given the opportunity to defend himself, he said he never said N25 trillion budget was passed by the National Assembly nor said Nigeria was operating two budgets in 2024.
He explained that he made efforts to draw the Senate President’s attention to some observations made from the 2024 budget that about N3 trillion had no nexus with location and place, meaning they were not tied to specific projects.
After a very rowdy session, the Senate resolved to suspend Ningi after an additional prayer to Olamilekan’s motion moved by Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo South) for the Senate to suspend Ningi for an initial period of 12 months within which period he should stay away from the Senate.
It was amended to reduce the period to six months by Senator Ekpeyong Asuquo (Cross River South) and further amended to reduce it to three months by Senator Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South).
Maidoki’s amendment also had a caveat that if he writes apology and shows remorse any moment during the period, the Senate will recall him from the suspension.
The Senate also resolved to “Take further necessary steps to correct the wrong impression in public domain of 2024 budget created by the BBC interview and other national media houses and social media platforms by Senator Abdul Ningi and amplified by Senator Suleiman Abdulrahman Kawu through his facebook account and other social media platforms.
“Take any further decision as the senate deems fit and proper to safeguard the integrity of the 2024 budget which is pivotal to the revamping of our economy”.
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