The Arewa Initiative for the Defence and Promotion of Democracy (AIDPD) recently responded to the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), which criticized the three-month suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi from Bauchi Central. Ningi was suspended due to his claim of budget padding amounting to N3.7 trillion.
A spokesperson for AIDPD, Tasiu Haruna, explained that during a Senate session last Tuesday, Ningi was given the chance to defend his allegations against the 2024 budget, which he made on the BBC Hausa Service.
Haruna expressed concern over Ningi’s allegation, which suggested that the budget favored the southern part of Nigeria with the hefty sum of N3.7 trillion.
“As Nigerians and northern leaders, we were miffed and worried over the allegation that the budget was padded and skewed in favour of the southern part of the country to the tune of N3.7 trillion”.
However, during the Senate’s investigation, Ningi failed to counter the explanation provided by the chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation.
The chairman clarified that the allocated funds were intended for various government entities, including the Independent National Electoral Commission, National Judicial Council, and others.
Haruna emphasized the key figures involved in the budget process, noting that the majority are from the northern part of Nigeria.
He urged the ACF to consider inviting these northern representatives to provide their perspective on the matter before reaching a conclusion.
Additionally, Haruna highlighted the stance of the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, who dismissed Ningi’s allegation as baseless and false. Despite Bagudu’s statement, the ACF chose to support Ningi.
AIDPD believes that the Senate’s investigation, coupled with the input from northern representatives, should have addressed the controversy surrounding Ningi’s allegation.
They stress the importance of considering multiple perspectives before forming conclusions.
