Ningi Alleges Plot to Arrest Him as Constituents Seek Reversal of Suspension

*Ndume: Each senator got N200m for projects, but presiding officers received more

*Investigation must be thorough, says Atiku

*Call for Akpabio’s resignation morally reprehensible, senate spokesperson declares 

Chuks Okocha, Sunday Aborisade in Abuja and Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

Embattled Senator Abdul Ningi has alleged that the Senate was making attempts to arrest him over his allegation of padding the 2024 appropriation budget to the tune of N3.7 trillion.
Ningi disclosed this in an interview on Arise Television, just as his constituents in Bauchi Central Senatorial District have given the Senate a two-week ultimatum to lift the suspension on Ningi.
Also, Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume, yesterday, said each senator was allocated N200 million for their constituency projects in the 2024 budget, but that presiding officers got more.

In a similar breath, former Vice-President, Atiku Abubukar, has called for a thorough investigation into the allegations by Ningi
But the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, has berated the PDP for demanding the  resignation of Akpabio over Ningi’s claim of N3.7trn budget padding, saying it was morally reprehensible.
However, following the resignation of Senator Abdul Ningi as the Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, the group on Thursday named Senator Abdulaziz Yar’adua (Katsina Central) as his replacement.

The Senate, in the week, suspended Ningi for three months over claims that projects worth N3.7 trillion in the 2024 budget were untraceable.
But Ningi, who said no one could control the can of worms he had opened, added: “That is why I said I know this parliament very well. I have come a long way. And that is why we are speaking. Let’s speak.
“Have they ever asked me since the beginning of this so-called crisis, where are your findings? Where are the documents? I’m not using my head to come up with figures.

“Nobody has talked to me about evidence. Nobody has suggested even listening to me. All they are trying to do is to ensure that ‘how do we make sure that Ningi is silenced or arrested so that he doesn’t do anything?’
“I have opened this can of worms. Neither they nor I will be able to control it.”
This, nonetheless, Ningi’s constituents in Bauchi, represented by a Coalition of Youths groups led by its Chairman, Nazeef Abdullahi Rio, addressed members of the correspondents chapel yesterday.
They stated that it became imperative for them to address the press in order to express their position on the unfortunate events unfolding in the Senate.
According to the group, “the Senator representing our dear Constituency, Distinguished Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi, was unfairly and unjustifiably suspended for three months.
“As constituents of Bauchi Central Senatorial District, we condemn in its entirety, the decision of the Senate under the leadership of Senator Godswill Akpabio to suspend the Senator representing us, Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi for his sincere concern about irregularities in the 2024 budget, which if left unchecked will have negative consequences on our dear Constituency, our state and the country in general.
“To our total dismay, instead of the Senate to commend Senator Ningi for his patriotic discovery and investigate the irregularities with a view to addressing them for the best interest of the Country, it ended up unjustifiably suspending him thereby denying his rights as Senator and Nigerians and our rights of being represented at the Senate. This is the highest level of injustice meted on any senator and any Senatorial District in the history of our dear country,” the group added.

The group further stated that, “We are also shocked to hear some divisive and dangerous comments by some senators, especially Senator Jimoh Ibrahim and the Senate Leader, Senator Michael Bamidele, about our dear senator and the Northern region, which have the tendencies of causing hatred and disunity among various parts of the country at this time in the history of Nigeria, when unity, peace and understanding are dearly needed. We call on them to withdraw these unguided and ungodly statements and apologise to Senator Ningi and all northerners.

“As people of Bauchi Central, we declare our total support and solidarity to Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi. We equally strongly commend him for standing firm to represent our views and fight for our rights and that of the entire Nigerians.”
However, Ndume, speaking in an interview on Channels Television monitored in Abuja, Ndume said 10 senators, who were leaders, including himself, got more than N200 million in constituency allocation.

Senator Jarigbe Jarigbe, representing Cross River north, had claimed that some “senior senators” got N500 million in the 2024 budget for constituency projects.
Speaking on the matter, Ndume said Ningi was wrong for the budget padding allegation, adding that the Bauchi senator wanted to make the 2024 budget an ethnic issue.

The Borno senator said the issue of constituency projects was not a new phenomenon in Nigerian politics.
He added that most of his colleagues know that he got more funds than they did because of his position as the chief whip.
“All the senators have N200 million each for their constituency projects but I’m a leader. That’s the difference. Ten of us are leaders, including the ones in the opposition. They got more than the floor members. It is normal.
“My colleagues know that I got more than the N200 million allocation. We are not all the same. All animals are equal but some are more equal than others. That is the case.”
Ndume, however, declined to disclose the exact amount he received for his “constituency projects.”

Atiku Calls for Thorough Investigation

Presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2023 general election, Atiku Abubakar, has called for a thorough investigation into the allegations by Senator Abdul Ningi
In a statement, Atiku said, “I demand an immediate and thorough investigation into these allegations. Appropriation lies at the heart of governance, and any deviation from serving the people’s interests will be met with fierce opposition.”
According to Atiku, “Over the past few days, allegations have rocked the senate, questioning the very integrity of the 2024 Appropriation Act, the cornerstone of our nation’s annual planning and development.
“A fiscal policy analytics and advocacy organisation has unequivocally confirmed a disturbing lack of transparency within the 2024 Appropriation Act,” Atiku stated

Furthermore,  the former vice-president said the sudden suspension of the whistle-blower senator, without adequate explanation, has only fuelled the crisis, leaving us with more questions than answers.
“Denials are unacceptable, and the suspension of one senator cannot silence accusations of corruption and illegal fiscal spending by the federal government.
“Without a clear explanation to the people of Nigeria, we must treat these allegations for what they are: outright fraud. The accusation of budget padding totaling N3 trillion cannot be dismissed lightly by the government.

“Given the current hardships facing our nation, a padded budget is already translating into a padded hunger, padded poverty, padded insecurity, padded energy crises, padded forex instability, and the soaring cost of living.
“The people of Nigeria cannot afford to ignore allegations that worsen our already dire economic situation,” Atiku stressed
He explained that the  current federal government has a disgraceful track record of ignoring issues of transparency and due process in public administration.
“The unresolved $3.3 billion NNPCL loan repayment scandal, with Nigeria now expected to repay $12 billion, remains a glaring example. The Tinubu administration must address these high-profile corruption cases transparently.

“The National Assembly, as the elected representatives of the people, are constitutionally obligated to legislate for the peace, order, and good governance of our nation, without colluding with corrupt elements.
“Failure to do so and persisting in denial will only confirm the government’s complicity in official malpractice.”

Call for Akpabio’s Resignation Morally Reprehensible, Says Senate Spokesperson
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, has berated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for calling for the  resignation of Senator Akpabio over claim of N3.7trn budget padding allegations by the  suspended Senator Abdul Ningi.
Adaramodu  in his reaction yesterday, said “The PDP has elevated chicanery to statecraft and fatally failed in their sordid attempt to  hoodwink the unsuspecting public, on the ineffectual but spurious allegations of budget padding.”

Adaramodu said “PDP’s ludicrous call for the resignation of Senator Godswill Akpabio as the Senate President is unthinkable and shows the party as a massaging balm for falsehood and immoral Legislative outbursts.”
He added that, “Akpabio will not resign and  has no intention to resign at any time, because he has  not committed any wrongdoing to warrant a resignation.”
He said it was shocking that the PDP leadership could not comprehend what transpired at Tuesday’s plenary, where the allegations were debated and Senator Abdul Ningi, who was given the ample opportunity to defend himself and prove the budget padding allegations was suspended after he failed to substantiate his claims in the full glare of the public.
“Contrary to the contention by the PDP that  N3.7 trillion was discreetly inserted into the 2024 budget for alleged non-existent projects, and what transpired on the floor of the Chamber, it is open knowledge that no such absurdity is found in the budget passed by the National Assembly and signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

 

“The budget is being implemented judiciously by the  Federal Government. Perhaps, the N3.7trn being mentioned in the PDP’s shocking statement exists only in the fickle minds of its purveyors and serves as a dubious version of the budget generated by PDP’s ‘unidentified political flying objects’.

 

Adaramodu said the Senate did not in any way violate the constitution or its standing Rules and Orders, in not referring the matter to a relevant committee but the decision to take the issue in the Committee of the Whole was for transparency and fairness.