The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday announced Senator Abdul Ningi’s suspension after he alleged that the President Bola Tinubu-led government padded the 2024 budget.
However, before his suspension, some Nigerian Senators had been suspended on the Senate floor for different degrees of offences.
Below is the Full List of Senators who have been suspended on the floor of the Nigerian Senate and the reason behind their suspension.
Joseph Waku (Benue) – (2000)
In 2000, Senator Joseph Kennedy Waku, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Benue State was suspended on the floor of the Nigerian Senate. Waku sparked a major controversy when he said it was better for the military to return through a coup than for former President Olusegun Obasanjo to continue as a dictator. The former Senator said Obasanjo’s government was the worst Nigeria had ever produced. This led to widespread condemnation, and Waku was immediately suspended from the upper chamber.
Arthur Nzeribe (Imo, Orlu Constituency)- (2002) (Indefinite Suspension)
Arthur Nzeribe was elected Senator for the Imo Orlu constituency in 1999 and was reelected in 2003. In November 2002, Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim indefinitely suspended Senator Nzeribe due to a N22 million fraud allegation. Nzeribe was planning an impeachment motion against the then-Senate president, Anyim. The Senate also unanimously passed a resolution, handing over the case to the police for detailed investigations. In the motion, the Senate said that Nzeribe would remain suspended until he supplied evidence that he had purged himself of his anti-democratic, anti-senatorial and disreputable conduct.
Ali Ndume (Borno South) – Six Months Suspension
In 2017, the Senate suspended Ali Ndume after he asked for an investigation into allegations of importing a bulletproof Range Rover with fake documents involving then Senate President Bukola Saraki and that of perjury involving Dino Melaye. He was suspended for six months, instead of one year originally recommended by the ethics committee.
Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta Central ) – Three Months Suspension
In 2018, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, representing Delta Central Senatorial district, was suspended for 90 legislative days during the plenary. The Senate Committee on Public Petitions, Ethics and Privileges, which investigated him over comment on reordering the electoral timetable, recommended his suspension. According to the report, the erring lawmaker told the Committee that he had taken the matter to court already. However, the then Senate President, Olubukola Saraki, could not be dissuaded by the appeal from Senator Ahmed Lawan and Senator Kabir Marafa. Saraki insisted that political leaders must be disciplined to serve as a deterrent to others. He, however, reduced the suspension from 180 legislative days to 90.
Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) – Three Months Suspension
On Tuesday, the Godswill Akpabio-led Nigerian Senate suspended Senator Abdul Ningi. Ningi, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was suspended during Tuesday’s plenary over allegations of padding of the 2024 budget. Recall that Senator Ningi, in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service on Saturday, alleged that the National Assembly padded the 2024 budget with N3.7 trillion. The Bauchi Central Senator also claimed that the 2024 budget passed is N25tn while the one being implemented by the Presidency is N28.7tn.
