Budget Padding : Senate To Reinstate Ningi As Akpabio Comes Under Pressure After Senator’s Suspension

Despite his recent suspension, Senator Abdul Ningi may be back in the Senate soon.

According to sources, the three-month suspension imposed on the former majority leader over allegations of padding the 2024 budget by N3.7 trillion may be reviewed.

The Senate, under the leadership of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, suspended the Bauchi lawmaker amid the controversy.

Daily Trust reports that there has been pressure on the Akpabio-led Senate to revisit its action deemed unfair in some quarters.

One of the sources said the issue, which culminated in Ningi’s suspension, “is being resolved amicably.”

He said the suspended senator might be reinstated at any time “if he tenders a public apology to the Senate.”

His words: “The N3.7 trillion that was mentioned represents the budget of government-owned enterprises (GOEs), and they are expected to come to the Senate to defend their budget because the details are not always in the entire estimate. So, where is the budget padding allegation coming from?

“The budget was prepared by the Executive. The House of Representatives plays more of role in scrutinizing the budget, so where’s this allegation coming from if not because some people felt they should be the President of the Senate and not Senator Akpabio?

“There was also the allocation for Zonal Intervention Projects (ZIPs) for members of the National Assembly for their constituencies. The money is not being released to any lawmaker, but this is in the form of projects for their constituencies.”