Budget padding: ACF knocks Senate for suspending Ningi

Pan-northern socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum, Saturday, condemned the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi over the alleged padding of the 2024 budget to the tune of N3.7tn by the Senate.

Ningi had in an earlier interview made the allegation that culminated in his three-month suspension for what the Senate labelled an unfounded allegation.

However, the pan-northern organisation noted with regret that rather than suspending the Senator representing Bauchi North, the red chamber should have allowed an independent investigation into the matter.

The ACF, through its National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur-Baba, in a statement in Kaduna, said the process which culminated in Ningi’s suspension appeared rushed “looking more on the messenger rather than his message.”

According to the forum, with the suspension of Ningi, who had served as the leader of the Northern Senators Forum, the interests of many communities in the region are at stake.

The ACF noted that rather than taking a rushed suspension of Ningi, it preferred a thorough investigation of the allegation by a statutory or ad hoc committee of the Senate.

The statement was titled, ‘ACF regrets suspension of Senator Ningi from 10th Senate, calls for more open debates on issues.’

According to the forum, with the suspension of Ningi, who had served as the leader of the Northern Senators Forum, the interests of many communities in the region are at stake.

The ACF noted that rather than taking a rushed suspension of Ningi, it preferred a thorough investigation of the allegation by a statutory or ad hoc committee of the Senate.