The Senate has suspended Senator Abdul Ningi for a period of three months following his allegations of N3 trillion budget padding fraud in a BBC Hausa interview.
The decision was made after a heated debate and a voice vote. The Senate also plans to take steps to correct the negative impression from Ningi’s interview and protect the 2024 budget.
Senator Jimoh Ibrahim suggested the suspension, and Senator Sumaila Kawu was warned against posting negative content about the Senate on social media.
The session, characterized by heated debates and disorder, saw Senator Jimoh Ibrahim of Ondo State proposing an additional prayer after Senate President Godswill Akpabio had presented three prayers in the motion.
Akpabio’s first prayer, based on section 1b of the Senate standing order, urged the Senate to take suitable action on the matter, a motion that received unanimous support.
The second prayer called for the Senate to rectify the negative perception resulting from Abdul Ningi’s interview, and the third prayer was for the Senate to take any further steps it deemed necessary to safeguard the 2024 budget.
Contributing to the motion, Senator Ibrahim suggested that “Ningi should be suspended for an initial period of 12 months,” including the cessation of his benefits and privileges. He also recommended that Senator Sumaila Kawu of Kano State be cautioned against posting any negative content about the Senate on his social media platforms.
The proposed suspension period was reduced to three months following a voice vote.
Consequently, Akpabio announced, “Distinguished Senator Ningi, you have been suspended from the Senate for a period of three months.”
