What you need to know about the suspended Senator Abdul Ningi

Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who served as a former deputy Majority Leader of the Nigerian Senate under the leadership of former President Goodluck Jonathan from June 7, 2011, to June 9, 2015.

Ningi was also a member of the House of Representatives from June 8, 1999, to June 6, 2011, and the Chairman of the House of Committee on Police Affairs from June 12, 2007 to June 6, 2011.

He became the House Majority Leader from June 10, 2003, to June 11, 2007 and the Chairman of the House Committee on Solid Minerals from June 11, 2002 to June 9, 2003.

Abdul Ningi was born on April 20, 1960 in Bauchi. He got married in 1982 and lives in Ningi, Bauchi with his wife and five children.

The Senator earned his B.Sc. in Sociology from Ahmadu Bello University in 1983, and became the first in his family to attend university.

Ningi has been under the radar in the Senate until March 2024, when he granted an interview with BBC Hausa and alleged that the 2024 budget was inflated by 3 trillion naira following an audit. He also alleged that the Tinubu administration is operating a dual budget or the fiscal year.

He said, “Example, we had a budget of N28 trillion but after thorough checks, we found out that it was a budget of N25 trillion. How and where did we get the additional N3 trillion from, what are we spending it for?” Mr Ningi told the BBC Hausa.

This generated an uproar among Nigerians and the Senate. In a subsequent probe, he later denied the allegations, stating that he was misquoted for having spoken in the Hausa language.

After several deliberations, a member of the Appropriation Committee in the Senate, Jimoh Ibrahim, first moved the motion for Ningi’s suspension for 12 months over allegations of criminal misinformation and breach of peace in the National Assembly.

Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong and Senator Abdulfatai Buhari moved for a reduction of the suspension.

During plenary on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, the Nigerian Senate suspended Ningi for three months after investigations into his claim.

Immediately after his suspension, Ningi resigned as Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum (NSF).

In a letter addressed to the Secretary of NSF on Tuesday in Abuja, he said:

“I will like to resign my position as Chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum.

“This is of course necessitated by the unfolding events in the National Assembly, the North and the nation at large.

“I will like to specially thank members of the forum for the opportunity given to me for the last eight months to spearhead this very important forum.

“I believe this forum is very important and fundamental to the progress and development of Northern Nigeria.”