N3.7trn budget padding: They want to silence, arrest me – Ningi accuses Senate

The dust on the controversial 2024 appropriation budget won't settle anytime soon as the suspended Bauchi Central Senator, Abdul Ningi has accused the Senate of trying to silence him or get him arrested for exposing the alleged padding of the budget to the tune of N3.7 trillion.

Recall the Upper Chamber suspended Ningi for three months after he claimed in an interview on BBC Hausa over the weekend that the budget approved by the chamber was padded by the said amount.

In the interview he claimed the presidency was implementing two budgets.

But speaking in a recent interview on Arise TV on Thursday, March 14, Ningi said no one can control the discovery he has made.

He said: “That is why I said I know this parliament very well, I have come a long way. And that is why we are speaking. Let’s speak.

“Have they ever asked me since the beginning of this so-called crisis, where are your findings? Where are the documents? I’m not using my head to come up with figures.

“Nobody has talked to me about evidence. Nobody has suggested even listening to me. All they are trying to do is to ensure that ‘how do we make sure that Ningi is silenced or arrested so that he doesn’t do anything?’

“I have opened this can of worms. Neither they nor I will be able to control it.”