Abdul Ningi risks senate suspension over N3trn budget padding allegation

Abdul Ningi, senator representing Bauchi central, could be handed a suspension over the allegation that the 2024 appropriation bill was padded by N3 trillion.

At the weekend, Ningi, who is the chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, said “huge damage” has been done to the north and the entire country with the budget.

The national assembly had passed a budget of N28.7 trillion for the 2024 fiscal year.

President Bola Tinubu had proposed N27.5 trillion, but the lawmakers had increased it by N1.2 trillion.

Some senators who have disagreed with Ningi plan to take up the allegation on the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Tuesday, Solomon Adeola, chair of the senate committee on appropriations, said on Sunday.

By the senate standing rules, a senator could seek redress if it is established that his privilege has been breached by his colleague or an outsider.

Such matters are referred to the committee on ethics and privileges, which recommends to the larger house what punishment should be meted out to the offender.

WHAT THE RULE BOOK SAYS

Order 67(4) of the standing rules provides; “When a Senator is named by the President of the Senate, if the offence is a minor one, the President of the Senate may order the Senator to; withdraw for the rest of the Legislative Day;

“But — if the matter appears to the President of the Senate to be of a more serious nature, the President of the Senate shall put the question on motion being made, no amendment, adjournment or debate being allowed, that such suspension being for any time stated in the motion not exceeding 14 legislative days.”

Speaking with journalists, Adeola said he initially wanted to react but withdrew it because there are procedures that needed to be followed in addressing the situation.

“As you people can see, many senators are here with me across the six geo-political zones to react to what a senator said at the weekend on alleged two versions of the 2024 budget,” he said.

“After realising that there are laid down procedures and processes to follow in dealing with such a matter involving an insider, we have decided to shift the venue of reaction to the senate chamber on Tuesday, after which, briefings would be made to journalists.”

In the eighth assembly, Ovie Omo-Agege, former senator from Delta state, was suspended for 90 days after he opposed a bill seeking to reorder the elections.

A court later overturned the suspension.