Abdul Ningi Suspension: I didn’t get any N500m - Ranking Senator Abaribe clarifies

The senator representing Abia South Senatorial District, Enyinnaya Abaribe said he is not among the ranking Senators who are reported to have gotten N500 million.

His comment comes on the heels of an allegation by a senator representing Cross River North, Agom Jarigbe who on Tuesday, March 12 at plenary revealed that all ranking senators got N500 million each and that he never got any.

Jarigbe's revelation is in response to an accusation by the suspended Senator for Bauchi Central Senatorial District, Abdul Ningi leveled against Upper chamber members.

Ningi generated an uproar on social media when he told the BBC in an interview that he discovered the 2924 fiscal budget was padded by 3 trillion naira after he engaged the services of an auditor.

Speaking in an interview on Arise Television on Wednesday, March 13, former deputy governor of Abia State, Abaribe, said he never got any N500 million, while not debunking the claim that some ranking senators actually got that.

Abaribe, the former Senate Minority Leader, said perhaps because he is in what he called minority of minority parties in the senate, he didn’t get any money.

“I didn’t get any N500 million; I don’t know whether others get,” he said.

“I am the only APGA senator in the House and perhaps it is because I am in minority of the minority parties in the senate.

“But I didn’t get any money of such. What Senator Jarigbe meant to say is that some people enjoy certain privileges and there are privileges that come to offices.

“Such money is always a constituency project money and not for individuals. Since that has been trending in the social media, I have been getting calls from people that ‘oh so you get this kind of money and I have been calling you but for money but you say you don’t have.”

Ranking senators are those who have spent more than one term of four years in the upper chamber.