Ningi Writes Akpabio, Threatens Legal Action If Not Reinstated Within A Week

Sen. Abdul Ningi requests to be reinstated and warns of taking Akpabio before the NBA.

Senator Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi Central, requests reinstatement following a three-month suspension by the Senate for criticizing the 2024 budget, citing freedom of speech.

VerseNews reports that Ningi, who communicated with Akpabio through his legal representative, Femi Falana (SAN), emphasized that if his suspension is not revoked within the next week, he will take the matter to the Federal High Court.

On March 12, the Senate decided to suspend Ningi for a period of three months due to his statement alleging that the 2024 budget had been inflated by N3.7tn.

In the letter, Falana wrote: “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.”

VerseNews recalls that Ningi was suspended following the interview he granted to BBC Hausa in which he alleged that about N3.7 trillion was illegally inserted into the 2024 national budget.