Let Senator Ningi Carry His Cross Of Sins -By Auwal Ahmed Ibrahim

The truth is bitter at all times, but there is nothing sweeter than saying the truth and standing on it.

After Senator Abdul Ningi opened what he thought was a ‘can of worms’ for the Senate President and the Government of Bola Ahmad Tinibu, Senator Ningi didn’t took the appropriate manner to approach his case. It has only shown that Ningi has a grudge to mar the integrity of the administration of the President Bola Ahmad Tinibu for his political interest.

For those supporting Ningi jumped the gun and support unethical conducts because his action was politically motivated and it is for his own interests.

No place exists without laws, ethics, or protocols and Senator Ningi punishment is a lesson for all Nigerians to know that nobody is above the law.

Who thinks that Senator Abdul Ningi is not a sinner in this case? For those that think Ningi are supporting campaign of ridicule on the government of Bola Ahmad Tinibu and a politics of witch hunt of a government that has many things on its head to do for the people when he, Senator Ningi quietly knows that insertion in Budget is a normal tradition.

Why did Ningi not come up with something that affects the Northern region the most? And why Ningi decided on his own, all alone take to the press to give the Nigerian senators bad name and dent their image when he can contact the Senate President or the budget committee? Ningi wanted to prove innocent when he was enjoying the dividend of the national cake silently and now he wants to share his pains on the Northern region.

For the goodness of Nigerians to know, Sen. Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, had said” that the National Assembly did not break any law with new insertions in the 2024 budget.”

It is a tradition and a normal ethic in which the senators lobby and beg for constituency projects to be inserted in the budget after the budget bill is presented. This is a tradition since 1999 in Nigerian democracy, and it is backed with laws of the country.

The Sins of Senator Abdul Ningi

Senator Abdul Ningi was pressed to accuse the Senate President for padding because he wanted more from the budget allocation, and instead to following protocol, he decided to use the Northern Senators Forum to amplify his grievances. Senator Ningi took the crux alone and that was why he was disowned by the Northern Senators Forum because he baked and wanted to eat his cake alone.

Senator Ningi was not in friendly manner with the Senate President and because of the political differences between them Ningi wanted to spoil the name of the Senate President and the government of Bola Ahmad Tinibu. This is a political debacle in an early time of one year of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume faulted Senator Ningi before he goes to the press. The Chief Whip wanted to make him understand why the budget was increased, but he didn’t give him listening ears.

“The Senate Chief Whip said that when Ningi first presented the case to him, he asked him to provide evidence which he could not provide” because what was increased was a constituency project for the senators.

“I sat next to the Senate Leader (Opeyemi Bamidele), he was very angry of what Ningi did, but honestly, me too, what he (Ningi) did was wrong because I was involved,” Ndume said.

Ndume said Ningi was trying to make 2024 projects an ethnic and political issue, which, according to him, is wrong, and despite the clarifications of Senator Ndume Ningi bypassed the members of the Northern Senators Forum and spoke on their behalf which later they berated him and supported his suspension.

After the damage was done, Ningi became conscious of his deed and for knowing fully his sins before the suspension said, ‘I don’t care if I’m suspended, I was quoted out of context.’

Another sin of Senator Abdul Ningi was granting an interview to the BBC medium explaining that two budgets exist which later the Presidency faulted.

It is said that Ningi is playing politics in the senate to promote his PDP party ambition against the ruling party of the APC and to tarnish the government and the person of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu while it is unethical for Ningi to do such as a leader in the senate.

While it is learned that the suspended senator Abdul Ningi is canvassing support to avert his suspension, Ningi should treat with caution not to cause more damage and chaos in the country with protests if he has the nation at heart. The North is facing challenges of insecurity and Ningi’s suspension shouldn’t add more heat on the region.

In the process of staging protest and calls for justice, the people should look at the sins of Senator Abdul Ningi and the decision of the senators on his unethical conducts because he was cautioned but berated the option for his political interests.

Auwal Ahmed Ibrahim writes from Kaduna State via auwalgoronyo@gmail.com