Budget Padding: Tinubu meets Akpabio, as revelation of N500m shared to ‘senior Senators’ unfolds
…Senate suspends Ningi, more controversies hit Upper Chamber
…We are all guilty, nobody has a right to accuse Ningi — Senator Jarigbe
By Moses Adeniyi
Plenary for the Senate on Tuesday was coloured with rowdy session which further exposed the Upper Chamber to fiercer wind of confusion, particularly on controversies over budgetary imbalances.
The disclosure of budget padding to the tune of N3.7 trillion made by Senator representing Bauchi Central, Abdul Ningi, who was the Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, until his resignation on Tuesday after a suspension blow from the Senate, threw the upper chamber into the wind.
Motion to place punitive action on Ningi over his statement in an interview he granted to the BBC Hausa Service, on Saturday, that the budget passed by the National Assembly for the 2024 fiscal year is N25 trillion, while the one being implemented by the Presidency is N28.7 trillion, took a divergent view among Senators on the floor of the red chamber, generating more controversies.
…Ningi suspended, resigns as NSF Chair
Ningi was suspended on Tuesday following his allegations that about N3.7 trillion in the budget is not tied to any project.
Ningi on Monday had insisted that a sum of N3.7trillion in the 2024 budget was not tied to any project.
After making allegations of padding the 2024 budget with N3.7trillion tied to no projects, Ningi a former Deputy Senate leader, was suspended for three months over his comments in the interview he granted to the BBC Hausa Service on Saturday, where he alleged that the budget passed by the National Assembly for the 2024 fiscal year is N25 trillion, while the one being implemented by the Presidency is N28.7 trillion.
After much controversy over the allegation, the Senate on Tuesday passed a resolution to suspend the lawmaker for three months after a heated atmosphere.
According to the Senate, there is no evidence proving that the 2024 budget was padded as alleged by Ningi.
Although Ningi’s resignation letter as Chairman of the NSF was dated March 11, a copy was released shortly after Ningi was suspended by the Senate for three months following his comments on the alleged padding of the 2024 budget.
The letter reads: “I would like to resign my position as the Chairman of the Northern Senators forum. This is of course necessitated by unfolding events in the National Assembly, the North and the Nation at large.
“I would like to specially thank members of the forum for the opportunity given to me for the last eight (8) months to spearhead this very important forum. I believe this forum is very important and fundamental to the progress and development of Northern Nigeria.”
Ningi on Monday had said he was not afraid of suspension by the Senate as he was prepared to carry his cross.
According to Ningi, if he is suspended at the end of the day, he would see it as an honour against the backdrop that he believes in one God.
He had said power is transient, explaining that he spoke for himself and not on behalf of the Northern Senator Forum, (NSF), where he is chairman.
Ningi had clarified that there was no time during the interview that he said the Federal Government was operating two budgets. He added that he only said that N25 trillion was traced to projects, but that N3.7 trillion was not traced to any project.
Ningi had said, “I said we have established beyond reasonable doubt that N25 trillion so far has a nexus in the budget. That means that there is money, there is a project, and then there is location.
“But we are yet to ascertain N3 trillion of that budget. We have established the N3 trillion of that budget, we have not established its location and the place.
“However, I said going forward, the budget evaluation is ongoing. And I said lastly, the intention of the northern senators, as regards budgetary allocation, was to meet the Senate President with our findings and subsequently meet President Bola Tinubu.
“I have never acted as a regional person. And I have never spoken as a regional person, but I’m proud to say I’m a very proud northerner.
“It wasn’t a budget matter, but a budget issue. I believe in one God, and I believe power is transient. I believe what we are doing is temporary. I’m not scared of whatever you hear, I am not scared of any issue like suspension.
“If because I said what I would say, then I will be suspended, so be it. It will be an honour.”
Prior to his suspension on Tuesday, drama ensued when the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Sen Olamileken Adeola (Ogun West) stormed into the red chamber.
Sen. Adeola who was visibly angry in a high tone protested a closed door meeting to address the issue of claims of Ningi, while he kept saying, “No closed door, let’s do it open.”
In a later development, the Senate suspended Ningi for three months, asking him not to participate in all the activities of the 10th Senate.
The Senate also resolved that if Senator Ningi writes to apologise during the period, he shall be recalled to resume his legislative activities.
The resolution of the Senate on Tuesday was sequel to a motion by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Olamilekan Adeola (APC, Ogun West) on the allegations raised by Ningi of N3trn Budget Padding in the N28.7trn 2024 Appropriation Act and that the budget passed by the National Assembly for 2024 fiscal year is N25 trillion, while the one being implemented by the Presidency is N28.7 trn.
Earlier, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, APC, Ondo South, a member of the Senate Appropriation Committee, in an additional prayer had asked the Senate to suspend Ningi for an initial period of twelve months and seconded by Senator Edeh Dafinone, APC, Delta Cenchairman
An additional prayer was moved by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, APC, Cross River South that the suspension be reduced from twelve months to six months and his motion was seconded by Senator Barinada Mpigi, PDP, South East.
The additional prayer for suspension of a period of three months was raised by Senator Musa Garba Maidoki, PDP, Kebbi South and seconded by Senator Sani Musa, APC, Niger East.
The later additional prayer was put to vote by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio leading to Ningi’s suspension for three months.
…More controversies hit Senate, as revelation of ‘senior Senators’ who got N500m each from 2024 budget unfolds
However, more controversies set in for the Red Chamber as another issue of purported largesse to the tune of N500million set aside in the 2024 budget for each of some “senior Senators” was unravelled, amid debate on punitive measures to be meted on Ningi.
The development further threw the Upper Chamber into confusion.
On Tuesday, a Point of Order raised by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, was overtaken by event when Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe representing Cross River North, threw a bombshell when he revealed how some senior Senators got the sum of N500million from the 2024 budget.
Adeola, (APC Ogun West) raised a Point of Order against the allegation by Ningi.
The Senators were divided on the matter. However, as they took turns to speak on the floor of the Senate, more revelations confounded the matter, when Jarigbe, a PDP senator said some senators got N500 million each but he did not get it.
“All of us are culpable. Some so-called Senior Senators here got N500 million Naira each from the 2024 Budget, I am a ranking Senator and I didn’t get anything. No Senator has a right to accuse Senator Ningi,” Jarigbe said.
Controversies engulfed the Senate since last weekend when in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (Hausa Service) on Saturday, Senator Ningi said that the budget being implemented by the Presidency is N28.7 trillion, whereas the one approved by the National Assembly for the 2024 fiscal year is N25 trillion.
While the Senate refuted Ningi’s claim, the Presidency said the National Assembly is responsible for up-shooting the budget away from what President Bola Tinubu presented.
Although Ningi later clarified that his claim was that N3.7 trillion in the 2024 budget was not tied to any project, he was suspended by the Senate at plenary on Tuesday for three months, just as he tendered a resignation as the Chairman of Northern Senators Forum.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu met behind closed doors with the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday shortly after the chaotic session at the Senate.
While the details of the meeting held behind closed doors was undisclosed as at the time of filing this report, it was gathered it was not unconnected with the controversies which the Senate is presently engulfed in.
