- By Halimah Olamide
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party on Wednesday asked Senate President Godswill Akpabio to step aside over the lingering dispute on alleged padding of the 2024 budget.
PDP said it also stands with the suspended Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi over his claim that while a budget was approved by the National Assembly and signed by President Bola Tinubu, the presidency is operating another fiscal document only known to it.
Ningi had claimed that a total of N3.7trn was inserted into the budget without the approval of the members.
NPO Reports that Ningi got the big stick on Tuesday after he was suspended for a period of three months over his alleged unsubstantiated claims.
But reacting on Wednesday, the opposition party said Akpabio has to step aside to give way for an unbiased investigation of the entire controversy.
The Party also demanded that Akpabio immediately reports at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the pending case of alleged looting of N108 billion belonging to the people of Akwa Ibom State under his watch as Governor of the State.
“Furthermore, the Senate President should speak out on the reported N86 billion contract scam in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) during his tenure as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs,”
The statement read
While condemning the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi, the party accused the All Progressive Congress controlled senate of acting without a detailed inquest into the issue of budget padding which he raised.
PDP stated, “The suspension of Senator Ningi is apparently a desperate move to suppress investigation, conceal and sweep the facts under the carpet.
“Moreover, the frustration of investigation by the APC Senate leadership further confirms PDP’s repeated alert that prominent APC officials in the National Assembly and a top official in the Presidency have been using ministers and other government functionaries to siphon budgeted funds from the national coffers.
“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?”
READ ALSO:
Suspending Ningi Doesn’t Address Budget Padding- Peter Obi
Diverted N1.2bn Was For Ekiti Security, Not Election Funds – Witness.
Breaking! Senator Resigns After Suspension Over Budget Padding Allegation
The opposition party said it is even more absurd that instead of recusing himself, the Senate President sat as a judge in the matter adding that it was “a situation that has the capacity to bring the institution of the Senate to further public disrepute.”
Saying the matter in question is one that heavily borders on alleged gross misconduct and criminal betrayal of public trust which are serious offences under our laws.
“Nigerians can now see why the APC leadership in the National Assembly, especially in the Senate continues to condone the unbridled looting of public resources including funds meant for palliatives for poor and vulnerable citizens.
“This apparent inclination towards covering up sleaze in the polity is already pitching the institution of the Senate against Nigerians who are demanding for 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.” The party said
Expressing its support for Ningi for what it called “his courage in seeking probity and accountability in the polity,” the party said “What Nigerians expect at this moment is for the Senate President to come clean by stepping aside, allowing for an independent investigation into the budget padding allegation as well as clearing his name at the EFCC over alleged looting of N108 billion and N86 billion under his watch as Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs respectively.”