Sophia Michaels
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has offered unwavering support to Senator Abdul Ningi, who was suspended by the Senate for three months on Tuesday.
Ningi, the lawmaker representing Bauchi Central, was suspended on Tuesday.
He also stepped down from his position as Chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum.
Ningi faced suspension following a debate on a BBC interview where he claimed that the National Assembly padded the 2024 N28.7tn budget.
In the interview on Friday, Ningi claimed that N3.7tn was not allocated to specific projects in the 2024 budget.
He stated, “For the first time in Nigerian history, today we are operating two different budgets. One budget was approved by the National Assembly and signed by President Bola Tinubu and the one was implemented by the presidency.
“The one approved by us is N25tn while the one operating by the Federal Government is ₦28tn.
“Apparently, we discovered N3tn was inserted into the budget for projects without locations. This is the highest budget padding that happened in Nigerian history under Senator Akpabio’s watch.”
Furthermore, during a press briefing on Monday, the senator reiterated the accusation and expressed no fear of being suspended.
The Bauchi State Governor, however, expressed his support for the lawmaker.
“In today’s State Executive Council meeting, I made it clear that I stand firm in our support for Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi, of Bauchi Central,” Mohammed wrote on his official X account on Monday.
He added, “I emphasised the importance of preserving dissent within our political landscape without resorting to punitive actions.
“I am committed to examining Senator Ningi’s situation further. It is common knowledge that Senator Ningi is one of the best performing senators whose heritage and uprightness, ancestry and integrity are worthy of praise.”
Senator Opeyemi Bamidele from Ekiti Central faulted Ningi’s claims that the 2024 budget passed by the Senate was padded, calling it a “civilian coup.”
A member of the Appropriation Committee in the Senate, Jimoh Ibrahim, initiated the motion to suspend Ningi for 12 months due to allegations of criminal misinformation and breach of peace in the National Assembly and the country at large.
On the other hand, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong and Senator Abdulfatai Buhari proposed amendments to the motion by Ibrahim.
Ekpenyong, representing Cross River South Senatorial District, suggested reducing the suspension to six months, while Buhari from Oyo North proposed three months.
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, described Ningi’s offences as “grievous.”
A voice vote was conducted and a majority of the lawmakers voted in support of Ningi’s suspension for three months.
