AFRICA

SERAP to Akpabio: Refer Allegations of Budget Padding to EFCC, ICPC

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has urged the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to refer the allegation by Senator Abdul Ningi that the lawmakers padded the 2024 budget by N3.7 trillion to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for proper investigations and necessary actions.

The civil society group also called on the senate President “to immediately reinstate whistleblower Abdul Ningi who was recently suspended from the Senate over his allegations that the lawmakers padded the 2024 budget by irregularly inserting projects worth N3.7 trillion.”

Also, stakeholders of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), weekend, embarked on a peaceful protest in Ningi Local Government Area of Bauchi State against the suspension of Ningi, and asked for his recall.

However, SERAP demanded of Akpabio “to make a public commitment to discontinue the patently unlawful constituency projects in the next budget cycle.”

According to a letter dated 16 March 2024 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said, “Referring these allegations to appropriate anticorruption 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 penalised simply for making a public interest disclosure.

“Without inside information, corruption is hard to detect, prevent and combat. Rather than suspending Senator Ningi, 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.

“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.

“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.”

PDP Youths, Stakeholders Protest Suspension

Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders in Bauchi State, over the weekend, embarked on a peaceful protest in Ningi Local Government Area of the state against the suspension of Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi.

The protesters, who were mainly youths under the coalition of PDP Youths groups in the area, expressed their anger over the suspension of their representative at the senate.

The peaceful protest was received by the Chairman of the party in the local government area, Alhaji Dan Lamin, who described the suspension as “Uncalled for and undemocratic.”

The protesters, who carried placards with different inscriptions, however, demanded that the decision should be rescinded by the Senate because according to them, Ningi did not contravene any known law of the country as the constitution guarantees him freedom of expression.

Leader of the Youths groups, Kamilu Barau Ningi, said they received the news of the suspension with a rude shock as what happened did not warrant such an action by the Senate.

He said what the Senate should have done was to thoroughly investigate the veracity of the allegation and come out with the findings for Nigerians and others following the development to know exactly what transpired.

Chuks Okocha and Segun Awofadeji