Following his suspension from the red chambers of the National Assembly by the leadership of the 10th Senate under Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Abdul Ningi, lawmaker representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District has resigned his position as chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum.
This resignation comes barely an hour after he was suspended for three months for alleging that the 2024 budget had been padded with items worth over N3 trillion.
Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District, Jimoh Ibrahim who also doubles as a member of the Appropriations Committee first moved the motion for Ningi’s suspension for 12 months over allegations of criminal misinformation and breach of peace in the National Assembly and the country by extension.
However, another lawmaker Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong moved for the amendment of the motion by Ibrahim. Ekpenyong, who is from Cross River South Senatorial District, prayed for the reduction of the suspension.
The letter which was addressed to the secretary of the forum reads, “I will like to resign my position as the Chairman of Northern Senators forum. This is of course necessitated by unfolding events in the National Assembly, the North and the Nation at large.
“I will like to specially thank members of the forum for the opportunity given to me for the last eight (8) months to spearhead this very important forum. I believe this forum is very important and fundamental to the progress and development of Northern Nigeria.”
Ningi, who spoke under the aegis of the Northern Senators’ Forum in an interview with BBC Hausa Service, stated that the Bola Tinubu-led administration was implementing a different budget from the N25 trillion budget passed by the National Assembly.
