Senate recalls Ningi from suspension

The Senate has recalled Sen. Abdul Ningi (PDP-Bauchi), who was suspended for three months over budget padding remarks.

This followed the adoption of a motion by Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Abba Moro, and co-sponsored by Senate Deputy Minority Leader, Sen. Olalere Oyewumi, and Senate Minority Whip, Sen. Osita Ngwu, at Tuesday’s plenary, titled “The unconditional recall of Sen. Abdul Ningi.”.

Moving the motion, Moro said that Ningi, the former Chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum, was suspended for three months following a media interview he granted the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Hausa Service on March 9.

“He alleged that about N3.7 trillion, representing over 10 percent of the 2024 budget, was illegally inserted into the 2024 National Budget.

“Ningi was asked to address his allegation of budget padding against the National Assembly, following a motion of urgent national importance moved by Sen. Solomon Deola, Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations.

“And failing to address the allegation, the Senate resolved to suspend Ningi for three months for violating legislative rules, misconduct, and unethical behaviour for the interview he granted on BBC Media.

“The said Ninigi, being under suspension, has spent over two months outside the precincts of the National Assembly Complex and needs to return to continue with his legislative activities as the senator representing Bauchi Central senatorial district.

“Flowing from the above, the Senate Minority Leadership takes full responsibility for the actions of our colleague Ningi and apologises on his behalf,” he said.

Seconding the motion, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau said, “This Senate is the highest assembly in our sovereign land of Nigeria. A Senate that is composed of men and women of wisdom.

“I commend the minority leader and his team, the entire minority caucus and the entire leadership of the minority caucus.

“This is because I know they acted based on the prompting of the members of the caucus for going in-between and for making sure they got to where we are now

and by bringing forth this motion in such a way that the resolution of the issue of Ningi’s suspension is finally resolved.

“It is something they need to be commended for because they have gone to meditate and they are apologising on his behalf.

“I urge the senate, the leadership having apologised on behalf of Ningi, we should accept this apology so as to strengthen our spirit of brothers that we are known for.”

In his remarks, President Godswill Akpabio supported the claim.

“Let me thank the majority leadership for this initiative.

“And also note that it was this same Senate that set up a committee for you to mediate, and then you were the chairman, and then, of course, this decision by the minority leaders and the entirety of the minority in the Senate seems to have superseded the area and decision of the Senate.

“So, I agree with you. He is a very resourceful senator and one of our own, and the Senate is a family irrespective of the political divide, irrespective of the religious divide, and irrespective of languages.

“This happening today is in tandem with the spirit of what the national assembly, both the Senate and the House of Representatives, have done by bringing back our own national anthem, which simply says that though tribes and tongues may differ, in brotherhood we stand,” he said.

Akpabio added, the decision of the Senate today is clear evidence that this is one family, and though we may come from different constituencies and different states, in brotherhood we stand.

“I congratulate the Senate for this decision, and I agree that to err is human and to forgive is divine. Our distinguished brother, Sen. Abdul Ningi, is hereby recalled to the Senate to participate in all activities.”