‘Budget Padding’: Some senators want to impeach Akpabio before July, says majority leader

Opeyemi Bamidele, majority leader of the senate, says some senators are planning to impeach Senate President Godswill Akpabio before July 2024.

Bamidele spoke on Tuesday during the debate on the claim made by Abdul Ningi, senator representing Bauchi central, that the 2024 budget was padded by N3 trillion.

At the weekend, Ningi stirred controversy when he made the allegation and said a “huge damage” has been done to the north and the entire country through the budget.

During the plenary on Tuesday, Solomon Adeola, senator representing Ogun west, moved a motion on privilege over the matter.

Adeola argued that his privilege was breached because he was part of the processes that produced the 2024 budget

Speaking, Bamidele, senator representing Ekiti central, said the allegation made by Ningi is “tantamount” to a “civilian coup” against Akpabio.

The majority leader said the Bauchi senator wanted to use the platform of the Northern Senators Forum (NSF) to execute the “civilian coup”.

He added that a few senators have refused to work with Akpabio after he was elected the senate president on July 13, 2023.

“I stand to say that, what my big brother, distinguished senator Abdul Ningi, who I respect so well, planned to do was tantamount to a civilian coup, which has failed,” Bamidele said.

“In doing this, he wanted to use the platform of the northern senators forum. God bless all those who have dissociated themselves from it.

“A few people who felt they will not give you (Akpabio) more than one year as chair of the senate, want to do everything possible before July 13 to remove you.

“That is why it is always about Akpabio. Never about the senate, house of representatives, and DG budget office.

“All of us passed this budget. Never about the president who signed the budget, it is always about Akpabio.”

The majority leader said the senate was very peaceful when the senate president came from the northern part of the country.

After the debate, the upper legislative chamber suspended Ningi for three months.