Senate in Uproar Over Senator Ningi’s Budget Padding Claims: A Comprehensive Report

The Nigerian Senate was thrown into a raucous session on March 12, 2024, as lawmakers demanded answers from their colleague, Senator Abdul Ningi, over his recent claims about the 2024 budget.

The controversy stems from Ningi’s allegations of budget padding within the National Assembly, which has sparked intense debate and scrutiny from both the Senate and the public.

Senator Ningi, a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), had previously accused the National Assembly of padding the 2024 budget during an interview with the BBC Hausa service.

He claimed that the country was running two appropriation acts, with an unaccounted sum of N3.7 trillion.

This revelation has led to widespread public outrage and calls for an investigation into the matter.

During Tuesday’s plenary session, an angry Senator Olamileken Adeola demanded an open session to discuss the issue, stating, “No closed door, let’s do it open.”

The motion to investigate Senator Ningi’s claims was subsequently moved by Senator Adeola and seconded by Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas (Delta South).

Thomas criticized Ningi’s comments, calling them “presumptuous, scandalous, and an attempt to incite the public against the National Assembly.”

However, Senator Adamu Aliero urged Senate President Godswill Akpabio to ensure a fair hearing on the matter, allowing Ningi to present his side of the story.

In response, Akpabio expressed concern over the damage to the Senate’s integrity, stating, “Nigerians are bashing the Senate. Many Nigerians will never in future come back to respect this chamber.”

When it was Senator Ningi’s turn to speak, he denied ever saying that the 2024 budget was padded, claiming that the translation of the BBC Hausa interview was “fake.”

He further stated that he had never issued a statement of that nature and was unaware of the document’s author.

The Senate’s investigation into Senator Ningi’s budget padding claims is ongoing, and the outcome could have significant implications for the Nigerian government, the National Assembly, and the country’s political landscape.

As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen whether Senator Ningi’s allegations will be proven true or if the controversy will be dismissed as a misunderstanding.