Budget Padding: Arewa Group Issues Fresh Threat If Senate Fails To Recall Ningi

The Arewa Advancement for Peace and Development Initiative has expressed disapproval of Senator Abdul Ningi’s suspension by the Godswill Akpabio-led the Senate, demanding its reversal and reinstatement while urging the Executive to probe the allegation for clarity.

In a statement issued in Jos on Thursday, signed by the group’s Chairman and Secretary, Alhassan Sabo and Susan Ogbaji, respectively, the group criticized the Senate’s decision, considering it unjust and undermining transparency and accountability in government.

The group called for an independent panel, under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, to investigate the allegations against Ningi, emphasizing his role as a true representative of the people for speaking out against unlawful behaviors by some leaders.

The statement read, “We are here to voice our displeasure over the recent events in the National Assembly, particularly the Senate Chamber, which should have been our symbol of pride and the pillar of our hope as a nation because it holds the representatives (voices) of the Nigerian people. But unfortunately, that is not the case.

“The allegation raised by distinguished Senator Abdul Ningi has opened up a can of worms, which did not go well with the leadership of the Senate. How did we get to where we are as a people? We keep blaming the Executive for our woes, but should we now say that the real enemies of the Nigerian people are their representatives?

“How can over N3 trillion be padded into our national budget, and Nigerians are mute over such sensitive and national issues? We are killing our economy, killing our future generations, killing our means of survival as a people. If this allegation is true, then we have lost it as a people and should be ashamed of ourselves.”

The group demanded the Senate leadership to immediately lift Senator Ningi’s suspension and reinstate him, threatening mobilization of people from the 19 northern states and other civil society organizations to move to the National Assembly if their demands are not met.