ACF Faults Ningi’s Suspension, Says Senate Decision Too Hasty

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has called on the Senate to exercise more caution and sensitivity when considering criticism of its operations, as they faulted the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi, the senator representing the Bauchi Central Senatorial District, over his allegations of budget padding.

This was contained in a statement by the national publicity secretary of the forum, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, ACF who noted that the Senate was too hasty to have arrived at suspending Ningi and therefore urged the National Assembly to carry out a thorough investigation of such allegations in the future.

The forum backed the suspended senator in his accusations of budget padding and stated that the North will not benefit from the 2024 budget.

Following his accusations that the 2024 budget is padded with N3.7 trillion not tied to any specific project and that the budget is biased against the North, with several Northern communities not benefiting from the projects and programs in the budget, the senator from Bauchi was suspended from the Senate for three months.

The forum expressed regret that the interests of numerous Northern communities are at risk, even if it acknowledged that the Senate had now refuted Senator Ningi’s accusation as being untrue.

ACF claims that Ningi’s suspension was handled quickly and nimbly, with more attention being paid to the messenger than the message.

“ACF acknowledges the 10TH Senate’s constitutional privilege to determine how it operates or conducts its affairs. However, ACF expects that the exercise of the privilege will always be hinged, strictly and transparently, on relevant provisions in the Constitution relating to the principles of due process and fair hearing. This is critical for a body empowered to make laws for the country and to exercise oversight functions over the operations of the executive arm of Government.

“ACF notes that the whole saga hinged on the rather weighty allegation by weighty allegation earlier made by Senator Ningi, euphemistically called “budget padding”. Senator Ningi and we must say others, had alleged that as much as the sum of N3.7 trillion is not rather egregiously attached to any specific project as it ought to, be under the 2024 Budget of the Federation passed for implementation.

“ACF notes that the allegation has since been denied by the 10th Senate as lacking in veracity. However, the interests of many communities in Northern Nigeria are at stake. Rather than the route of a rushed suspension of Senator Ningi, ACF prefers a thorough investigation of the allegation by some statutory or ad hoc committee of the Senate. As things stand, in the eyes of the general public, the allegation of padding as well as those related to the inclusion of curious items that benefit specific communities of some Senators as “constituency projects”, stand unaddressed with all attendant negative implications for the Red Chamber and, vicariously, the Executive, regrettably, unfortunately and avoidably so for Nigeria’s nascent democracy.

“ACF regrets that Bauchi Central will be without representation in the 10th Senate for the 3 months and stands with Senator Ningi and his supporters in whatever constitutional means they seek to respond for a satisfactory denouement to this sad development. ACF also calls on the 10th Senate to act with more circumspection and sensitivity in processing criticism of its operations. Robust debates on public policy issues undoubtedly strengthen the development of the democratic project,” the statement partly read.