Senator Abdul Ningi is set to return to legislative duties following a unanimous decision by the Senate to recall him. The Senate, on Tuesday, resolved to recall Senator Abdul Ningi, who was suspended on March 12, 2024, for a period of three months.
Ningi, representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, had served two months and two weeks of his suspension, with two more weeks remaining. However, following a motion during plenary on Tuesday, the Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, moved for his recall.
The motion, titled “Unconditional Recall of Senator Abdul Ningi,” 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, for making unsubstantiated allegations of budget padding amounting to N3.7 trillion during an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Hausa Service on March 9, 2024.
His suspension followed a motion of urgent national importance moved by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola. Ningi was suspended for violating legislative rules, misconduct, and unethical behavior.
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 so he could carry out his legislative activities. Moro took full responsibility for Ningi’s actions and apologized on his behalf.
The motion read:
“Notes that on Tuesday, March 12, 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 to 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.
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 of the 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 process of which he was a part.
Aware that the said Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi, 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, March 13, 2024, to recall Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi to the Senate as the Senator representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District.”
The prayer was unanimously approved, and Senator Ningi was recalled.
