The Senate has recalled Abdul Ningi (PDP-Bauchi), who was suspended for three months over budget padding remarks.

This followed the adoption of a motion by Senate minority leader Abba Moro and co-sponsored by Senate deputy minority leader Olalere Oyewumi and Senate minority whip Osita Ngwu at Tuesday’s plenary titled “The unconditional recall of Sen. Abdul Ningi.”

Moving the motion, Mr Moro said Mr Ningi, the former chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, was suspended for three months following a media interview he granted the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Hausa Service on March 9.

He recalled Mr Ningi’s claim that the 2024 budget was padded from N25 trillion to N28.7 trillion and that the executive was implementing the inflated budget.

The Senate debunked Mr Ningi’s allegations and suspended him for three months.

However, Mr Moro said, “The said Ningi, being under suspension, has spent over two months outside the precincts of the National Assembly Complex and needs to return to continue 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 Ningi and apologises on his behalf.”

Seconding the motion, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau said, “I commend the minority leader and his team, the entire minority caucus and the entire leadership of the minority caucus.

“This is because I know they acted based on the prompting of the members of the caucus for going in-between and for making sure they got to where we are now and by bringing forth this motion in a way that the resolution of the issue of Ningi’s suspension is finally resolved.

“I urge the Senate, the leadership, to accept this apology to strengthen the spirit of brothers we are known for.”

In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio supported the claim and thanked the majority leadership.

“He is a very resourceful senator and one of our own, and the Senate is a family, irrespective of the political divide, irrespective of the religious divide and irrespective of languages.

“This happening today is in tandem with the spirit of what the National Assembly, both the Senate and the House of Representatives, have done by bringing back our national anthem, which simply says that though tribes and tongues may differ, in brotherhood we stand,” he said.

Mr Akpabio added, “I congratulate the Senate for this decision, and I agree that to err is human and to forgive is divine. Our distinguished brother, Sen. Abdul Ningi, is hereby recalled to the Senate to participate in all activities.”

(NAN)