Bauchi youth coalition issue 2weeks ultimatum to sue Senate, Akpabio

By Rauf Oyewole, Bauchi

A coalition of youth groups in Bauchi Central Senatorial District have issued a two-week ultimatum to the Senate and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio to investigate the issues raised by senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi or face legal action.

The Coalition, which questions the basis on which their representative was suspended for three months, said that the lawmakers have placed their rule above the national law, saying that Ningi has not violated any section of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Recall that the Senator, Abdul Ningi has raised an allegation of budget padding in the 2024 national budget being passed and assented to by the President, claiming that the sum of N3.7trillion did not have a breakdown. The Senate had hurriedly suspended the lawmaker for three months.

Reacting to the development in Bauchi on Thursday, the Chairman of the coalition of youth groups from Bauchi Central, Nazeef Abdullahi Rio, while addressing the press, said that: “As constituents, we condemn in its entirety the decision of the Senate under the leadership of Senator Godswill Akpabio to suspend the Senator representing us, Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi for his sincere concern about irregularities in the 2024 budget which if left unchecked will have negative consequences on our dear constituency, our state and the country in general.

“To our total dismay, instead of the Senate to commend Senator Ningi for his patriotic discovery and investigate the irregularities with a view to addressing them for the best interest of the Country, it ended up unjustifiably suspending him thereby denying his rights as Senator and Nigerian and our rights of being represented at the Senate. This is the highest level of injustice meted on any senator and any senatorial district in the history of our dear country,” he said.

The coalition declared support for Ningi and called for immediate reversal of the suspension within two weeks.

“We also demand that the Senate should fully investigate all the alleged irregularities in the 2024 budget so that nobody will take Nigerians for granted and so that the image of the Senate will not be painted black in the eyes of Nigerians.:

“If the Senate fails to meet our demands within two weeks, as constituents of Bauchi Central Senatorial District, we will be left with no option but to take legal action so that our constitutional rights would be upheld,” he added.

The Governor of the State, Bala Mohammed has also declared support for the senator, saying he was sad that one of the “best of us” in Bauchi was suspended for three months for telling the truth. He described Ningi as the beacon of truth and a fearless lawmaker from the state. He had called for proper investigation to unravel the allegations made by the senator.