CITIZENS COMPASS —The Senate on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, suspended Senator Abdul Ningi, the Bauchi Senator  who insisted that the 2024 Fiscally Budget wss padded by the Senators. 

Ningi had granted an interview to BBC Hausa alleging some discrepancies in the budget.

After a long debate which degenerated into chaos, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim from Ondo State rose to add a prayer after the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, had read three prayers in the motion.

Akpabio had read that based on section 1b of the Senate standing order, the Senate is urged “to take appropriate action on the matter,” a motion was unanimously taken.

The second prayer was for the Senate to “take steps to correct the wrong impression from Abdul Ningi’s interview,” and thirdly, “Take any further decision as the Senate deemed fit to protect the 2024 budget.”

Senator Ibrahim while contributing to the motion said, “Ningi should be suspended for an initial period of 12 months” including stopping his benefits and privileges while senator Sumaila Kawu, Kano State senator, should be warned to stop posting anything negative against the Senate on account of his social media posts.

The time of suspension was put to voice votes when it was amended to three months.

“So distinguished senator Ningi, you have been suspended from the Senate for the period of three months,” Akpabio announced.

Meanwhile, Ningi, has resigned as the chairman of the Northern Senators Forum.

Although the resignation letter was dated March 11, a copy was made public shortly after his suspension by the Senate over his statement on the alleged padding of the 2024 budget.

Ningi, in a letter sent to the forum, wrote, “I will like to resign my position as the Chairman of the Northern Senators forum.