By Funso Alarape
Sunday March 17, 2024
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As dust raised by the suspension of Senator Ahmad Abdu Ningi refused to settle, powerful stakeholders in the North are mounting pressure on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure the removal of Senate President Godswill Akpabio or that Tinubu should face dire political consequences,
It is gathered that the suspension of Ningi has degenerated to a level never expected by Tinubu and the Northern stakeholders have told Tinubu to remove Akpabio or expect the consequence.
Meanwhile, a Northern sociopolitical group, the Arewa Consultative Forum, on Saturday, condemned the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi saying rather than suspending the Senator who was the chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, the red chamber should have allowed an independent investigation into the matter.
The ACF, through its National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur-Baba, in a statement in Kaduna, said the process that culminated in Ningi’s suspension appeared rushed “looking more on the messenger rather than his message.”
According to the forum, with the suspension of Ningi, who had served as the leader of the Northern Senators Forum, the interests of many communities in the region are at stake.
The ACF noted that rather than taking a rushed suspension of Ningi, it preferred a thorough investigation of the allegation by a statutory or ad hoc committee of the Senate.
The statement was titled, ‘ACF regrets suspension of Senator Ningi from 10th Senate, calls for more open debates on issues.’
It read in parts, “The Arewa Consultative Forum has watched with keen interest the series of rather dramatic events, in the Nigerian 10th Senate, which culminated in the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi from the Red Chamber for three months.
“ACF acknowledges the 10th Senate’s constitutional privilege to determine how it operates or conducts its affairs.
“ACF does not wish to engage in debate with the Senate. Still, on the whole, the process appeared nimbly rushed, with concerns looking more at the messenger rather than his message.
“ACF notes that the allegation has since been denied by the 10th Senate as lacking in veracity. However, the interests of many communities in Northern Nigeria are at
stake
“Rather than the route of a rushed suspension of Senator Ningi, ACF prefers a thorough investigation of the allegation by some status that committee of the Senate.
“ACF regrets that Bauchi Central will be without representation in the 10th Senate for the 3 months, and stands with Senator Ningi and his supporters in whatever constitutional means they seek to respond for a satisfactory denouement to this sad development.
“ACF also calls on the 10th Senate to act with more circumspection and sensitivity in processing criticism of its operations. Robust debates on public policy issues undoubtedly strengthen the development of the democratic project.”
SERAP
In another development, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has demanded that suspended Senator, Abdul Ningi be immediately recalled.
The Senate under the leadership of Senate President, Godswill Akpabio had on Tuesday suspended Ningi for three months over allegations of N3.7trn padding of the 2024 Budget.
Besides calling for the reinstatement of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator from Bauchi Central Senatorial District, the rights group urged the leadership of the Red Chamber to urgently refer the allegations that lawmakers padded the 2024 budget by irregularly inserting projects worth N3.7 trillion to appropriate anti-corruption agencies for investigation and prosecution.
SERAP also requested in a letter signed by its deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, that Akpabio publicly declared his commitment “to discontinue the patently unlawful constituency projects in the next budget cycle.”
“Referring these allegations to appropriate anti-corruption agencies would be consistent with the lawmakers’ oath of office and the letter and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended].”
“What Senator Ningi has done is a positive act of good citizenship. No whistleblower should ever be penalized simply for making a public interest disclosure.”
SERAP emphasized that without inside information, corruption is hard to detect, prevent, and combat.
Rather than suspending Senator Ningi, the accountability group argued that the Senate ought to have used his allegations as a trigger for addressing the lingering problem of budget padding and corruption in the implementation of constituency projects.
It insisted that referring the allegations to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would improve public trust in the ability of the leadership of the Senate to ensure probity and accountability in the budget process.
SERAP said: “We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel you and the Senate to comply with our requests in the public interest.
“By exercising strong and effective leadership in this matter, the National Assembly can show Nigerians that the legislative body is a proper and accountable watchdog that represents and protects the public interest, and can hold itself to account in the management of public resources.”
“Encouraging whistleblowers to speak up improves public services and strengthens public accountability. Promptly referring the allegations to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigations and prosecution would serve the public interest.”
“Investigating and prosecuting the allegations of budget padding and corruption would end the impunity of perpetrators. It would improve transparency and accountability in the National Assembly, and build trust in democratic institutions with the ultimate aim of strengthening the rule of law.”
SERAP further expressed concern about the opacity and lack of accountability in the spending of public funds on constituency projects since the return of democracy in 1999.
It added: “SERAP is seriously concerned that years of allegations of budget padding and corruption in the implementation of constituency projects have contributed to widespread poverty, underdevelopment, and lack of access to public goods and services.”
“Allegations of budget padding and corruption in the implementation of constituency projects have also continued to have negative impacts on the fundamental interests of the citizens in several communities and the public interest.”
“SERAP is concerned that despite the country’s enormous oil wealth, ordinary Nigerians have derived very little benefit from the budget primarily because of budget padding and corruption in the implementation of constituency projects and the entrenched culture of impunity of perpetrators.”
“Combating budget padding and discontinuing constituency projects would serve the public interest, improve access of Nigerians to basic public goods and services, and enhance the ability of ministries, departments, and agencies to effectively and efficiently discharge their constitutional and statutory responsibilities.”
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