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Abdul Ningi risks senate suspension over N3trn budget padding allegation
Abdul Ningi, senator representing Bauchi central, could be
handed a suspension over the allegation that the 2024 appropriation bill was
padded by N3 trillion.
At the weekend, Ningi, who is the chairman of the Northern
Senators Forum, said “huge damage” has been done to the north and the entire
country with the budget.
The national assembly had passed a budget of N28.7 trillion
for the 2024 fiscal year.
President Bola Tinubu had proposed N27.5 trillion, but the
lawmakers had increased it by N1.2 trillion.
Some senators who have disagreed with Ningi plan to take up
the allegation on the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Tuesday,
Solomon Adeola, chair of the senate committee on appropriations, said on
Sunday.
By the senate standing rules, a senator could seek redress
if it is established that his privilege has been breached by his colleague or
an outsider.
Such matters are referred to the committee on ethics and
privileges, which recommends to the larger house what punishment should be
meted out to the offender.
WHAT THE RULE BOOK SAYS
is named by the President of the Senate, if the offence is a minor one, the
President of the Senate may order the Senator to; withdraw for the rest of the
Legislative Day;
“But — if the matter appears to the President of the Senate
to be of a more serious nature, the President of the Senate shall put the
question on motion being made, no amendment, adjournment or debate being
allowed, that such suspension being for any time stated in the motion not
exceeding 14 legislative days.”
Speaking with journalists, Adeola said he initially wanted
to react but withdrew it because there are procedures that needed to be
followed in addressing the situation.
“As you people can
see, many senators are here with me across the six geo-political zones to react
to what a senator said at the weekend on alleged two versions of the 2024
budget,” he said.
“After realising that there are laid down procedures and
processes to follow in dealing with such a matter involving an insider, we have
decided to shift the venue of reaction to the senate chamber on Tuesday, after
which, briefings would be made to journalists.”
In the eighth assembly, Ovie Omo-Agege, former senator from
Delta state, was suspended for 90 days after he opposed a bill seeking to
reorder the elections.
A court later overturned the suspension.
