ACF Criticizes Senate’s Suspension of Ningi Over Budget Padding Allegations

• The Arewa Consultative Forum criticized the Senate’s suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi for allegedly padding the 2024 budget
• The organization urged for an independent investigation into Ningi’s allegations rather than hasty punitive measures by the Senate

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), a pan-northern socio-political organization, has condemned the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi for allegedly padding the 2024 budget by N3.7 trillion, as claimed by the Senate.

In an interview, Ningi had previously made these allegations, leading to his three-month suspension by the Senate on grounds of making unfounded claims.

The ACF expressed disappointment that the Senate opted for Ningi’s suspension instead of allowing an independent investigation into the matter. Through its National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur-Baba, the organisation stated in a Kaduna statement that the suspension process appeared rushed, focusing more on the messenger than the message itself.

The forum emphasized that Ningi’s suspension jeopardises many communities’ interests in the northern region. It advocated for a thorough investigation of the allegations through a statutory or ad hoc committee of the Senate, rather than hasty punitive measures.

The ACF urged for more open debates on such issues and regretted the suspension of Senator Ningi from the 10th Senate, stressing the importance of upholding transparency and accountability in governance.