Senator Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, has strongly refuted media allegations linking him to the padding of the 2024 budget. In a statement from his media office released yesterday, the former chairman of the Northern Senators Forum clarified his stance, denying ever accusing the National Assembly of padding the budget with N3 trillion.
Ningi categorically stated that he never made such remarks, asserting that his words were misrepresented. He clarified, “I have never said somebody was blinded. Secondly, I have never said the budget was padded. Let me concur with about 80 percent of the translation read out by Senator Yayi. I think they have done a fair job, except on some issues they could not understand.”
The senator highlighted the distortion of his statements by certain parties and emphasized that he had never issued a statement of that nature to anyone, at any time, and in any place.
Notably, Senator Ningi faced a three-month suspension by the Senate last Tuesday. During the session leading to his suspension, various motions were proposed regarding the alleged padding, with Senator Jimoh Ibrahim suggesting a 12-month suspension, and Senator Chris Ekpeyong proposing an amendment to reduce it to six months. Eventually, Senator Garba Maidoki proposed a three-month suspension, which was accepted.
Following his suspension, Senator Ningi resigned from his position as the chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to lead and acknowledging the forum’s role in the progress and development of Northern Nigeria.
