After being suspended on March 12, 2024, Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi was pardoned and reinstated by the Senate. His suspension from the upper chamber lasted 77 days.
On Tuesday, Deputy Minority Leader Senator Abba Moro presented a motion to initiate Ningi’s recall, expressing remorse on behalf of the suspended senator. Moro acknowledged the seriousness of the suspension and promised to take full responsibility for Ningi’s conduct.
Senator Ningi’s actions during the suspension period were scrutinized by the legislature.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced Ningi’s unconditional recall following appeals from several legislators. Akpabio described Ningi as resourceful and a valued member of the Senate, saying the decision to recall him transcends political considerations.
Senator Ningi, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Bauchi Central Senatorial District, was originally suspended for three months following a contentious session in the Senate on March 12, 2024. He alleged the 2024 Budget was padded by up to ₦3.7 trillion.
He claimed that the ₦28.7 trillion budget passed and signed by President Bola Tinubu was biased against the North. He later clarified that he did not accuse the government of having two budgets but maintained that ₦3.7 trillion was not tied to specific projects.
The suspension was set to end on June 12, 2024, but Ningi was recalled two weeks early. During the suspension, the legislative body closely examined his conduct.
Senate President Akpabio had previously described Ningi’s offenses as “grievous,” but most lawmakers supported his three-month suspension through a voice vote. Other senators widely criticized Ningi’s allegations, and the Presidency characterized it as “far-fetched and unbecoming of a leader of his status.”
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