The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Senate to immediately recall Senator Abdul Ningi who was suspended for three months over his allegation of budget padding.
Ningi, the lawmaker representing Bauchi Central, was suspended for three months over an interview he granted BBC Hausa Service, in which he alleged that the National Assembly padded the 2024 N28.7 trillion budget by over N3 trillion.
He was quoted as saying, “For the first time in Nigerian history, today we are operating two different budgets. One budget was approved by the National Assembly and signed by President Bola Tinubu, and the one was implemented by the presidency.
“The one approved by us is N25trillion while the one operating by the Federal Government is N28trillion.”
Following his suspension from the Senate, Ningi resigned his chairmanship of the Northern Senators’ Forum, and was replaced by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua (APC Katsina Central).
However, in a statement dated March 16, 2024, and signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the group urged Akpabio “to immediately reinstate whistleblower Abdul Ningi who was recently suspended from the Senate over his allegations that the lawmakers padded the 2024 budget by irregularly inserting projects worth N3.7 trillion.”
SERAP equally told the Senate President to refer the allegation to the country’s anti-graft agencies – the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes Commission, which would improve public trust in the Senate.
The statement asked that Akpabio should “urgently refer the allegations that lawmakers padded the 2024 budget by irregularly inserting projects worth N3.7 trillion to appropriate anti-corruption agencies for investigation and prosecution.
“Referring these allegations to appropriate anticorruption agencies would be consistent with the lawmakers’ oath of office and the letter and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended).”
SERAP said, “What Senator Ningi has done is a positive act of good citizenship. No whistleblower should ever be penalised simply for making a public interest disclosure.”
The organisation also urged Akpabio “to make a public commitment to discontinue the patently unlawful constituency projects in the next budget cycle.”
The statement read in part, “Without inside information, corruption is hard to detect, prevent, and combat. Rather than suspending Senator Ningi, the Senate ought to have used his allegations as a trigger for addressing the lingering problem of budget padding and corruption in the implementation of constituency projects.
“Referring the allegations to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would improve public trust in the ability of the leadership of the Senate to ensure probity and accountability in the budget process.
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel you and the Senate to comply with our requests in the public interest.”
The organisation expressed its concern “about the opacity and lack of accountability in the spending of public funds on constituency projects since the return of democracy in 1999.
“SERAP is seriously concerned that years of allegations of budget padding and corruption in the implementation of constituency projects have contributed to widespread poverty, underdevelopment, and lack of access to public goods and services.”
Meanwhile, the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has expressed full support for Ningi during the State Executive Council meeting, last week, saying, “I made it clear that I stand firm in our support for Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi, of Bauchi Central.”
In the same vein, the Arewa Consultative Forum on Saturday condemned Ningi’s suspension.
The ACF noted with regret that rather than suspending the senator, the red chamber should have allowed an independent investigation into the matter.
The group, through its National Publicity Secretary, Prof Tukur Mohammed-Baba, in a statement in Kaduna, said the process that led to the suspension of the senator appeared rushed, “looking more on the messenger rather than his message”.
The statement titled, ‘ACF regrets suspension of Senator Ningi from 10th Senate, calls for more open debates on issues,’ read in part, “The Arewa Consultative Forum has watched with keen interest the series of rather dramatic events, in the Nigerian 10th Senate, which culminated in the suspension of distinguished Senator Abdul Ningi from the red chamber for three months.
“ACF acknowledges the 10th Senate’s constitutional privilege to determine how it operates or conducts its affairs. ACF does not wish to engage in debate with the Senate.
“Still, on the whole, the process appeared nimbly rushed, with concerns looking more on the messenger rather than his message. ACF notes that the allegation has since been denied by the 10th Senate as lacking in veracity.
“However, the interests of many communities in northern Nigeria are at stake. Rather than the route of a rushed suspension of Senator Ningi, ACF prefers a thorough investigation of the allegation by some statutory or ad hoc committee of the Senate.
“ACF also calls on the 10th Senate to act with more circumspection and sensitivity in processing criticism of its operations. Robust debates on public policy issues undoubtedly strengthen the development of the democratic project.”