The senator representing Bauchi Central in the Senate, Ahmed Ningi, has asked the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to lift his suspension from the Senate, News About Nigeria reports.
He made this demand through his lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) on Wednesday, stating that if his suspension is not lifted in the next seven days he will drag the Senate before the Federal High Court.
Recall that Ningi had been suspended from the Senate after claiming in an interview that while the budget passed by the National Assembly for the 2024 fiscal year was N25 trillion, the one being executed by the Presidency was N28.7 trillion.
At the plenary on March 12, the Senate took the Bauchi senator on to defend the allegation, at the end of which he was slammed with a three-month suspension for damaging the image of the Red Chamber over what the senators decided was an unfounded allegation.
He subsequently stepped down from his position as the Chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum and was replaced by All Progressives Congress Senator, Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, representing Katsina Central.
However, through his lawyer, Falana, Ningi contended that the process of his suspension was faulty.
Falana noted that his client exercised his freedom of speech in giving the interview, adding that the Senate put Ningi on trial contrary to the provisions of the Legislative Houses.
According to him, apart from violating Ningi’s fundamental right to a fair hearing, the Senate also violated the right of the people of the Bauchi Central Senatorial District to representation in the Senate for three months.
“On March 9, 2024, our client granted an interview to the BBC Hausa Service on the 2024 Appropriation Act. He expressed his views on the budget of the Federal Government in the exercise of his fundamental right to freedom of speech guaranteed by Section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (Cap A9) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
“Dissatisfied with the interview, you caused our client to be put on trial before the Senate on March 14, 2024, contrary to the provisions of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2018,” the letter reads in part.
Falana, therefore, requested that the suspension be lifted, maintaining that if it is not within the next seven days, they shall head to the Federal High Court and also report him to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee for treating the judgements of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal with disdain.
