Following the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi from the Red Chamber, the Explainer has compiled a list of senators who have been suspended over controversial claims since the country returned to democratic rule in 1999.
On Tuesday, March 13, the senate suspended Abdul Ningi, senator representing Bauchi Central, for alleging that the 2024 budget was padded by N3 trillion. At the weekend, Ningi stirred a controversy when he made the allegation and said “huge damage” has been done to the north and the entire country through the budget. Ningi insisted on his claim, saying he wasn’t afraid of suspension.
After a rowdy session that lasted for more than three hours on the floor of the chamber, Senator Solomon Adeola, who represents Ogun west moved a motion for Ningi’s suspension.
Meanwhile, Over the past two decades, several senators have been suspended from the upper chamber of the national assembly. Here is a list of senators who have faced suspension from the senate.
JOSEPH WAKU
Waku, a lawmaker from Benue state, was suspended by the senate in 2000 after he stirred a major controversy in the country.
The senator suggested that a military coup would be preferable to allowing former President Olusegun Obasanjo to continue as a dictator.
Waku criticised Obasanjo’s administration and described it as the worst in Nigeria’s history. His comments resulted in widespread condemnation and subsequent suspension by the senate. Waku died on February 3, 2019.
ARTHUR NZERIBE
Nzeribe was suspended for nine months. Nzeribe, a lawmaker from Imo state, was suspended indefinitely in November 2002 by then-Senate President Pius Anyim over allegations of N22 million fraud. He died in 2022 at the age of 83.
ALI NDUME
Suspended for embarrassing Bukola Saraki, the then senate president
In 2017, the upper legislative chamber suspended Ndume, a senator representing Borno south, for six months for “embarrassing” then Senate President Bukola Saraki and Dino Melaye, a former senator representing Kogi west. Ndume had asked the senate to investigate the allegation that the upper chamber was exacting vengeance on Hameed Ali, former comptroller-general of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), because of a seized bullet-proof car allegedly owned by Saraki.
The Borno senator also demanded that Melaye be probed for certificate forgery. Saraki and Melaye were later cleared of the allegations by a senate panel.
OVIE OMO-AGEGE
Omo-Agege, former deputy senate president, stirred up a hornets’ nest while he was in the upper chamber.
Omo-Agege, a lawmaker from Delta state, was suspended by the senate in 2018 after he kicked against the election reordering bill.
Although the lawmaker later apologised for his stand, he still went to court to get a restraining order against any move by the senate to suspend him.
His action was said to have angered some of his colleagues, who pushed for his suspension.
NINGI
Ningi alleged that the 2024 budget was padded by N3 trillion. The senate suspended Abdul Ningi, on Tuesday, for three months for alleging that the 2024 budget was padded by N3 trillion. He subsequently resigned as chairman of the Northern Senators Forum (NSF).
