Senate President Godswill Akpabio has announced that the Senate will soon lift the suspension on Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central), following the lawmaker’s threat of legal action if the suspension is not lifted within seven days.
Ningi was suspended after his BBC Hausa interview where he alleged that the 2024 fiscal year budget was padded by N3.7 trillion. After a contentious debate among Senators, Ningi was suspended for three months and instructed to apologize to the Senate.
In a letter from his counsel, Femi Falana (SAN), Ningi accused Akpabio of violating the constitution by acting as the accuser, prosecutor, and judge in his case.
Responding to inquiries from reporters upon returning from the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, Akpabio assured that the Senate would soon review Ningi’s suspension. He emphasized that Ningi is a valued member of the Senate and that the issue would be resolved amicably.
Akpabio stated, “It is a parliamentary decision. I have not seen the letter yet. But Senator Ningi is one of us. I mean what is suspension? I believe that in a few days, he will join us. So, there is no problem. It would be resolved amicably. The Senate is a family.”
It has been reported that Ningi’s suspension may not last the full three months, with indications that the issue is being resolved through amicable means. Pressure has mounted on the Senate to reconsider its action, which some view as unfair.
