Suswam: Ningi could challenge length of suspension in court | Budget padding a misnomer

Gabriel Suswam, a former governor of Benue state, says Abdul Ningi, senator representing Bauchi central, could challenge the length of his suspension from the senate in court. 

He added that some senators are “agitated” because some of their colleagues got more funds for constituency projects in the 2024 budget.

Speaking in an interview on Arise TV on Tuesday, Suswam said the recent controversy in the senate is due to constituency projects and budget padding.

At the weekend, Ningi stirred controversy when he alleged that the 2024 budget was padded by N3 trillion.

The Bauchi senator said “huge damage” has been done to the north and the entire country in the budget.

On Tuesday, the allegations raised by Ningi were debated during plenary at the red chamber, amid a rowdy session.

Subsequently, the senator was suspended for three months.

‘BUDGET PADDING A MISNOMER’

In December 2023, both arms of the national assembly passed the 2024 appropriation bill, increasing its size from the N27.5 trillion proposed by President Bola Tinubu, to N28.7 trillion.

Speaking on the development, Suswam said the allegation of budget padding by Ningi was a “misuse of words” and the claim constitutes a “serious offence”.

Suswam added that Ningi might win in court if he challenges the decision of the senate to suspend him.

“I think the issue has always been that the leadership of the national assembly — the senate and house of representatives — would normally take the lion’s share of the constituency projects,” he said.

“That has always been an issue that agitates the minds of most senators.

“I think that is what senator Ningi was talking about. It is just a misuse of words.

“Instead of him to accuse the leadership of enhancing their constituency projects above other members of the senate, he rather said that the budget was padded.

“When you say the budget was padded, it constitutes a very serious offence. I don’t think that was what he meant.

“I think a three-month suspension is way out of order. I don’t think the rules allow the senate to suspend any member for that length of time.

“If he decides to take that up legally, I don’t think the senate will win in that case.

“The rules provide copiously the number of days a senator could be suspended when he breaches the rule.

“I don’t think what has happened in the senate is budget padding; it is just that some members have taken well over others. A lot of senators are agitated about it.”