The Senate has reinstated Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi, who was suspended on March 12, 2024, over allegations of budget padding.
The recall process began on Tuesday, prompted by a motion from Deputy Minority Leader Senator Abba Moro, who expressed regret on behalf of Ningi and assumed full responsibility for his actions.
Senator Ningi’s conduct during his suspension had been a topic of extensive scrutiny and debate within the Senate. Following a brief plea from several lawmakers, Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced Ningi’s unconditional recall.
Akpabio praised Ningi as a resourceful and valued member of the Senate, highlighting that the decision to recall him transcended religious and ethnic lines.
Ningi’s suspension was originally set to end on June 12, 2024, but his recall came two weeks early. The suspension stemmed from accusations of padding the 2024 budget by N3.7 trillion. Ningi, representing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Bauchi Central Senatorial District, was suspended for three months after a contentious session.
During an interview, Ningi had alleged that the Federal Government was operating two versions of the 2024 budget, asserting that the N28.7 trillion budget passed by President Bola Tinubu was biased against the North. These claims were sharply criticized by many Senators and the Presidency as “far-fetched and unbecoming of a leader of his status.”
Later, Ningi retracted his statement about the existence of two budgets but maintained that N3.7 trillion of the budget was unaccounted for in project allocations.
