The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged the Senate President Godswill Akpabio to step aside as the Senate President and allow an independent body to probe into N3.7 trillion allegation of budget padding rocking the Senate.
It would be recalled that Senator Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi Central, had alleged that the sum of N3.7 trillion added to the 2024 budget could not be traced to projects.
Interestingly, few days after the lawmaker made the shocking allegation, he was suspended for three months. Senator Ningi was suspended during the Tuesday plenary.
The PDP in a statement signed National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, following the development said “The Peoples Democratic Party demands that the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, immediately step aside and allow for an independent investigation into the allegation that a staggering N3.7 trillion was discreetly inserted into the 2024 budget for alleged non-existent projects.
“We ask, why did the APC leadership in the Senate not refer the matter to the appropriate Senate Standing Committee for an open investigation in line with the extant Rules of the Senate? What is the APC Senate leadership afraid of and what is it hiding from Nigerians?
“It is even more absurd that instead of recusing himself, the Senate President sat as a judge in the matter; a situation that has the capacity to bring the institution of the Senate to further public disrepute.”
“This is especially true as the issues at hand heavily border on alleged gross misconduct and criminal betrayal of public trust which are serious offenses under our laws.
“This apparent inclination towards covering up sleaze in the polity is already pitching the institution of the Senate against Nigerians who are demanding answers on the matter. Of course, the widely condemned suspension of Senator Ningi does not provide answers to the budget padding allegation.”The statement reads.
The PDP said It is unfortunate and a huge smear on the image of the Senate, as the highest lawmaking and probity Institution in the country, that its Presiding Officer has found himself in a quagmire of alleged sleaze and betrayal of public trust.
“Our party therefore, stands with Senator Ningi for his courage in seeking probity and accountability in the polity.” The PDP said.
