The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has charged Senate President Godswill Akpabio to step aside and allow for an independent probe into the allegation of N3.7 trillion untraceable projects in the 2024 budget.
PDP berated Akpabio for suspending Ningi without carrying proper investigation into the allegation of budget padding.
A Bauchi Central Senator, Abdul Ningi had alleged that the 2024 budget was padded to the tune of N3.7 trillion.
Ningi’s allegation led to his suspension for three months after the Senate deliberated on the matter.
Reacting, PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, expressed support for the suspended Senator.
Ologunagba said, “The Peoples Democratic Party demands that the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, immediately step aside and allow for an independent investigation into the allegation that a staggering N3.7 trillion was discreetly inserted into the 2024 budget for alleged non-existent projects.
“We ask, why did the APC leadership in the Senate not refer the matter to the appropriate Senate Standing Committee for an open investigation in line with the extant Rules of the Senate? What is the APC Senate leadership afraid of and what is it hiding from Nigerians?”
“It is even more absurd that instead of recusing himself, the Senate President sat as a judge in the matter; a situation that has the capacity to bring the institution of the Senate to further public disrepute.
“This is especially true as the issues at hand heavily border on alleged gross misconduct and criminal betrayal of public trust which are serious offenses under our laws.
“This apparent inclination towards covering up sleaze in the polity is already pitching the institution of the Senate against Nigerians who are demanding answers on the matter. Of course, the widely condemned suspension of Senator Ningi does not provide answers to the budget padding allegation.
“It is indeed unfortunate and a huge smear on the image of the Senate, as the highest lawmaking and probity Institution in the country, that its Presiding Officer has found himself in a quagmire of alleged sleaze and betrayal of public trust.
“Our party therefore stands with Senator Ningi for his courage in seeking probity and accountability in the polity,” he declared.
