Senate Recalls Ningi After Serving 10 Weeks Out of Three Months’ Suspension

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Senate has resolved to recall Senator Abdul Ningi who was suspended March 12, 2024 for a period of three months.

Ningi, who is representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, has spent two months and two weeks in suspension.

He has two more weeks to finish his suspension.

However, following a motion during plenary on Tuesday, the Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, moved a motion to recall Ningi.

The motion is titled, ‘Unconditional Recall of Senator Abdul Ningi,’ and it was co-sponsored by the Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Olalere Oyewumi, and the Minority Whip, Osita Ngwu.

Moro urged the Senate to recall Ningi who was suspended for three months on March 12, 2024.

He was accused of making unsubstantiated allegation of padding the 2024 budget to the tune of N3.7 trillion.

Ningi stated this in an interview he granted the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Hausa Service on March 9, 2024.

His suspension followed a motion of urgent national importance moved by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola. 

Ningi was suspended for violating legislative rules, misconduct and unethical behaviour.

Moro’s motion had only one prayer, which was for the Senate to reconsider the additional resolution of its votes and proceedings of Wednesday, March 13, 2024 and recall Ningi for him to carry out his legislative activities. 

Moro took full responsibility for the actions of Ningi and apologised on his behalf.

The prayer was unanimously approved and Senator Ningi recalled. 

The motion read: “Note that on Tuesday 12th March, 2024, this very revered 10th Senate in plenary suspended the former Chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum, Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi of Bauchi Central Senatorial District for three months.

“The suspension followed a media interview he granted the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Hausa Service on March 9, 2024 in which he alleged that about 3.7 trillion Naira representing over 10% of the 2024 budget was illegally inserted into the 2024 National Budget. 

“Note further that Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi was asked to address his allegation of budget padding against the National Assembly, following a motion of urgent national importance moved by Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations. 

“And failing to address the allegation, the Senate resolved to suspend Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi for three months for violating legislative rules, misconduct and unethical behavior for the interview he granted on BBC Media on the 2024 Appropriation Act, a legislation which process he was part of. 

“Aware that the said Senator Abdul Ahmed Ninigi, being under suspension, has spent over two months outside the precincts of the National Assembly Complex and needs to return to continue with his legislative activities as the senator representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District.

“Flowing from the above, the Senate Minority leadership takes full responsibility for the actions of our colleague Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi and apologizes on his behalf.

“Accordingly the Senate resolves to: 

“Reconsider the additional resolution of the Senate (i) of the Votes and Proceedings of Wednesday 13th March, 2024 to recall Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi to the Senate as Senator representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District.”