Northern group accuses Akpabio of using division to conceal budget padding allegation.

An amalgamation of concerned groups in Bauchi State has berated the Senate President, Senator Goodwill Akpabio, and called for his resignation for purportedly attempting to divert attention away from the alleged N3.7 trillion padding of the 2024 budget by framing the issue as a North-South divide.

Recall it was reported that the call for the resignation of the Senate President is not unconnected with the suspension of Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi, representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, for his comments on the untraceable N3.7 trillion in the 2024 budget.

The groups described the suspension of Senator Ningi as unlawful, hasty and undemocratic.

Addressing journalists at the secretariat of the Bauchi State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, on Tuesday, the chairman of the group, Umar Sa’id Maigamo, asked the Senate President to step aside for a proper investigation to be conducted on the budget padding allegations.

He also called for an investigation into the allegation of N500 million given to some selected ranking senators by the Senate leadership.

His words: “We wish to address all Nigerians on the decision by the Senate over the suspension of Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi, senator representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District. We consider this decision premeditated, hasty, unlawful and undemocratic on several grounds.

“You may wish to recall that Senator Abdul Ningi, in an attempt to exercise his legislative and constitutional rights, granted an interview to the BBC Hausa Service where he raised pertinent issues regarding the 2024 budget. In the said interview, the senator revealed that there were some anomalies in the budget, where he specifically stated that the sum of N3.7 trillion could not be traced to any projects or locations in the 2024 budget.

“Senator Ningi’s assertion was corroborated by several professional groups, including Budgit Foundation, a renowned civil society organisation promoting accountability and transparency in public spending in Nigeria.

“However, in a rare display of injustice and disdain for the rule of law and democratic tenets, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, at the plenary held on March 12, 2024, announced the suspension of Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi for three months

“We view this action of the Senate as an attempt not only to conceal the truth but to prevent the senator from exercising his legislative duties and constitutional rights.”