The Arewa Consultative Forum on Saturday condemned the suspension of the senator representing Bauchi North, Abdul Ningi, for raising the alarm over the alleged padding of the 2024 budget to the tune of N3.7tn by the Senate.
Ningi had in an interview raised the alarm that culminated in his three-month suspension for what the Senate labelled as an unfounded allegation.
However, the ACF noted with regret that rather than suspending the senator, the red chamber should have allowed an independent investigation into the matter.
The group, through its National Publicity Secretary, Prof Tukur Mohammed-Baba, in a statement in Kaduna, said the process that led to the suspension of the senator appeared rushed, “looking more on the messenger rather than his message.
The statement titled, ‘ACF regrets suspension of Senator Ningi from 10th Senate, calls for more open debates on issues,’ read in part, “The Arewa Consultative Forum has watched with keen interest the series of rather dramatic events, in the Nigerian 10th Senate, which culminated in the suspension of distinguished Senator Abdul Ningi from the red chamber for three months.
“ACF acknowledges the 10th Senate’s constitutional privilege to determine how it operates or conducts its affairs. ACF does not wish to engage in debate with the Senate.
