After spending two months and 16 days outside the National Assembly, the Senate on Tuesday recalled its suspended member, Sen. Abdul Ningi.
A motion to recall the Bauchi-Central lawmaker was moved by Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Abba Moro, and received the unanimous endorsement of senators.
The decision to lift the suspension was taken after senators ended a closed-door session presided over by the President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio.
The Senate had punished Ningi after he made an allegation that N3.7 trillion out of the N28.7tn budget passed for 2024 could not be traced to any projects.
The Senate later confronted Ningi with the details of the budget, which indicated that he did not get his facts right.
The Senate proceeded to suspend him for three months but gave a condition that he could be recalled any time so long as he sent a written apology to the Senate.
There was no evidence on Tuesday that Ningi submitted a written apology.
However, the minority leadership of the Senate said it took the responsibility by apologising on his behalf.
The motion recalling Ningi, as moved by the minority leader on Tuesday, reads, “The Senat notes that on Tuesday 12th March, 2024, this very revered loth Senate in plenary suspended the former Chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum, Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi of Bauchi Central Senatorial District for three months following a media interview he granted the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Hausa Service on March 9, 2024 in which he alleged that about 3.7trillion Naira representing over 10% of the 2024 budget was illegally inserted into the 2024 National Budget.
“Notes 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 Ning 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 apologises on his behalf.
“Accordingly, the Senate resolved to:
Reconsider the additional resolution of the Senate (i of the Votes and Proceedings of Wednesday 13th March 2024 to recall Senator Abdul Ahmad Ning to the Senate as Senator representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District.”
Ningi is expected to reappear at the National Assembly premises on Thursday.
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