N3.7trn controversy: Ningi’s constituents give Senate 2-week ultimatum to reverse suspension

Constituents of the Bauchi Central Senatorial District have condemned in its entirety, the decision of the Senate to suspend the senator representing them, Abdul Ningi, for three months, for what they described as his sincere concern about irregularities in the 2024 national budget.

Newspot reports that Senator Ningi, representing Bauchi Central, was suspended by the Senate last Tuesday for three months for his comments on the untraceable N3.7 trillion in the 2024 budget.

Ningi would later resign as Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum (NSF).

Reacting to his suspension, the constituents, under the aegis of Youth Coalition of Bauchi Central Senatorial District said rather than suspending Ningi, the Red Chamber should instead investigate the irregularities he raised with a view to addressing them in the best interest of the country.

The coalition, at a press conference led by its chairman, Nazeef Abdullahi Rio, in Bauchi on Thursday, asked the Senate to rescind the suspension.

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His words “We demand that the Senate immediately reverse its decision of suspending our Senator. Recall him back to his seat so that he will continue representing our dear constituency and the country at large,” the group said.

In the event that the Senate refused to heed their demand within two weeks, Nazeef Rio warned that as constituents of Bauchi Central Senatorial District, they will be left with no option but to take legal action to safeguard their constitutional rights.

“To our total dismay, instead of the senate to commend Senator Ningi for his patriotic discovery and investigate the irregularities with a view to addressing them in the best interest of the country, it ended up unjustifiably suspending him, thereby denying his rights as Senator and a Nigerian,” Rio said.

“We also demand that the Senate fully investigate all the alleged irregularities in the 2024 budget so that nobody will take Nigerians for granted and so that the image of the Senate will not be painted black in the eyes of Nigerians.

“If the Senate fails to meet our demands within two weeks, as constituents of Bauchi Central Senatorial District, we will be left with no option than to take legal action so that our constitutional rights would be upheld,” the coalition concluded.