The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has urged Nigerians to educate themselves and their children about the tactics of fraudsters and scammers to safeguard their finances.
Speaking at the 2024 Global Money Week celebration in Abuja, Deputy Governor Philip Ikeazor emphasized the importance of instilling financial awareness from a young age.
The theme, “Protect Your Money, Secure Your Future,” highlights the necessity of understanding financial scams, saving, and investing for a secure future.
Ikeazor emphasized that financial security isn’t solely about earning money but also managing resources effectively.
He stressed the importance of recognizing frauds and scams, knowing how to respond to scammers, and safeguarding finances both online and offline.
Ikeazor encouraged prompt reporting of encounters with scammers to financial institutions.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike has given the details of how a Land Director and a Lawyer engaged by the FCT Administration unilaterally connived to issue 500 hectares of land with infrastructure to an individual who in turn sold the land. The Minister, who spoke yesterday, March 18, during the 2023 budget defence and 2024 proposal before the House Committee on the FCT, chaired by Hon. Aliyu Muktar Betara, said that the embattled Director of Land gave the illegal approval few days after the immediate past Minister of the FCT, Muhammad Bello, left office on May 29, 2023. Wike insisted that the Director of Land lacks the capacity to act on behalf of the FCT Minister. “It’s very embarrassing that the former Minister left on May 29, in June, a Director of Land signed 500 hectares of land to an individual. “And the individual of course goes to this court, gets judgement, goes here, gets judgement, for me, such judgement will not stand. “I’m going to demolish the plaza first. “I told our Lawyer…. “There are certain things we cannot accept. “So, whosoever is involved, it doesn’t matter who is involved, the Director of Land cannot act for the Minister, it cannot work. “Do you know what this individual did? “In connivance with FCT Lawyer, he went to court on Thursday to get an order stopping the commissioning of this park. “Of course, this is a State “I have to take the file away from the lawyer…. “I don’t know anyone can come to you. “If you’re given 500 hectares, what I thought, you are authorised to do mass housing, now what they are doing is to go and allocate land to an individual and sell. “I’ve never seen that. “One man 500 hectares. “Meanwhile, the government has provided infrastructure. “So, when you hear it, as your friend and brother, you have heard it now.” Wike said that the cartel had last Thursday got a court injunction to stop the planned commissioning of the Sunrise Motor Park this week Friday, which he described as the biggest in West Africa and comparable to Disney Park. He said that such infrastructure will attract investment and boost the administration’s revenue drives as well as create employment for teeming Nigerians. Giving an update on the Legal Services Secretariat proposed budget of N5,583,687,567 million out of which N1.3 billion is for capital expenditure, Wike observed that the administration currently has more than 600 cases in courts across the Territory. “In every year we have suits not less than 1,000 and all these require a lot of money. “As we speak today, we have more than 600 judgements on FCT, some of them are legal, some of them are civil servants. Giving update on this year’s proposed budget, the Minister disclosed that a fiscal framework of the sum of N1,147,780,610,283 comprising Distributable Revenue of N510,364,426,028 and Non-Distributable Revenue of N637,416,184, 256 has been proposed for the FCT 2024 Statutory Budget after due deliberations with all the Revenue Generating Agencies of the FCTA. When compared with the Revised 2023 Appropriation of the sum of N641,247,685,792, there is an increase of the sum of N506,532,924,491.44 (44%) in the 2024 statutory budget proposal. According to him, the increase is as a result of the expected loan from a commercial bank in the sum of N500 billion. For Overhead Costs, the FCT Minister disclosed that the sum of N280,527,373,668 representing (24.44%) was proposed for 2024 fiscal year against an appropriation of the sum of N135,413,919,180 in 2023 fiscal year, representing an increase of N145,113,454,488.64 (52%), in order to address some critical overhead costs. Under the Capital Expenditure, the Minister proposed the sum of N726,338,232,759 representing 63.28%, for 2024 for the development of infrastructure, with emphasis on completion of ongoing projects, showing 44% increase over the 2023 Revised Appropriation of the sum of N406,298,063,083. According to him, out of the proposed Capital Expenditure, the sum of N80 billion is for SUKUK Loan Projects, N29 billion is for Abuja Light Rail Project and N500 billion for Commercial Loans planned to complete some ongoing Capital Projects in FCC and Satellite Towns, while the balance sum of N117,338,232,759 is dedicated to the completion of the ongoing capital projects and other counterpart funded related projects aimed at enhancing socio-economic activities of the FCT. 6 For the Transportation Sector, the FCT Administration proposed the sum of N69 billion, out of which N73 billion is proposed for recurrent expenditure 2024 fiscal year and the sum of N61.6 billion is proposed for capital budget for the year 2024. Out of this, the sum of N29.6 billion is for the Abuja Light Rail Project rolling stock and provisions for other Phases and the sum of N32 billion is proposed for Construction of Bus Terminals Development at Kugbo, Jahi and Center Business District of FCT. For the Education Sector, the Minister proposed the sum of N80.3 billion, out of which the sum of N56 billion is for recurrent expenditure and the sum of N24 billion is for Capital Expenditure, which includes the sum of N2 billion as UBEB Counterpart funding in the 2024 Statutory Budget. For the Health Sector, the FCTA proposed the sum of N45.7 billion, out of which the sum of N35.5 billion is for recurrent expenditure, which includes the sum of N1.3 billion for Drug Revolving Fund while the sum of N10.2 billion is for Capital Expenditure. The FCT 2024 Statutory Budget seeks to complete the construction of hospitals in Gwagwalada, Gwarimpa and Utako Districts to enhance the capacity of some of our hospitals through the procurement of modern ambulances for eight FCTA Hospitals. For the Abuja Geographic Information Systems budget proposal, the FCT Minister disclosed that the sum of N1,154,913,273 was proposed for provision of state-of-the-Art geo-spatial data infrastructure and management of the Land Information System with a view to enhance its revenue generation. For the Area Council Services Secretariat, the sum of N4,152,146,290 was proposed with a view to ensuring effective and efficient service delivery for rural transformation, improving quality of lives of the citizens and strengthening the traditional institutions as effective tools for mobilisation of the grassroots in order to achieve developmental goals of the FCT Administration.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Coalition for Dialogue on Africa (CoDA) are to strengthen their cooperation agreement towards tackling the Illicit Financial Flows and providing support for the Common African Position on Asset Recovery (CAPAR). The Chairman of the ICPC, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, who spoke today, March 19, during the visit of the Executive Director of CoDA and Head of the Secretariat of the African Union High-Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows, Mrs. Souad Aden-Osman, said: “The Commission will continue to work with CoDA and support the fight against illicit financial flows. We are ready to help CoDA. “We need to tackle the menace of illicit financial flows. There is an absolute need for us to come together to jointly fight and eradicate the menace until the battle is won and Nigeria and Africa are free from illicit financial flows.” Dr. Aliyu assured that the Commission would continue to be represented in the Working Group on the implementation of the recommendations of the African Union High-Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows. Earlier, the CoDA Executive Director, Mrs. Souad Aden-Osman, recalled that the organization had on January 27, 2022, entered into a cooperation agreement with the ICPC on implementing CAPAR and reversing illicit financial flows. She noted that the agreement was to regulate the relationship between the parties in pursuing their common objective towards advancing asset detection and identification, asset recovery and return, asset management as well as cooperation and partnership in Africa. Aden-Osman disclosed that the African Union had in January 2015 adopted a Special Declaration on Illicit Financial Flows towards addressing the increasing scale and extent of the menace from Africa. On the Common African Position on Asset Recovery (CAPAR), she stated that the Assembly of African Union Heads of State and Government adopted a common position during its 33rd Session in February 2020. Acknowledging the vital role Nigeria has played in the African Union’s Special Declaration on IFFs and the adoption of CAPAR, the Head of the Secretariat of the African Union High-Level Panel urged the country and the ICPC not to relent in championing the cause of IFFs and CAPAR. She said that the African Union had commenced an assessment of Nigeria and other African Countries on their national response level and implementation status of the recommendations of the AU High-Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows. She explained that the assessment would cover the state of IFFs in African countries and ongoing efforts of African Governments to reduce IFFs and also provide baseline information to guide the design of possible interventions aimed at strengthening the capacities of AU member-states to combat illicit financial flows and mobilize domestic revenues.
Chairman of the Independent National Electrical Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu has cautioned against wrong party primaries that often lead to legal battle in which the Commission is joined. Addressing political party representatives at the regular meetings, especially as the off-the-season Governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States approach, Professor Mahmood Yakubu asked political parties to adhere strictly to modes of primaries. “Frequent changes as we witnessed recently during the Edo primaries are not only disruptive but costly. “The Commission cannot mobilise, demobilise and remobilise our officials for the monitoring of party primaries at the convenience of political parties. “Parties should stick to their proposed dates and modes of primaries for certainty and optimal deployment of resources. “Similarly, political parties should avoid acrimonious primaries. Increasingly, the conduct of parallel primaries and the emergence of multiple candidates is a frequent occurrence. So too is the tendency to grant waivers to candidates who were a few days earlier card-carrying members of other political parties and nominating such persons to the Commission as their candidates for election. “Some of these infractions lead to unnecessary litigations among party members in which the Commission is always joined as a party. “The legal fees and cost of producing Certified True Copies (CTCs) of documents can be used more productively in other electoral activities by both the political parties and the Commission. “We must find a solution to this situation.” The INEC boss said that the off-cycle Governorship elections in Edo State will hold on Saturday, 21st September 2024 while the Ondo State Governorship election holds on Saturday, 16thNovember 2024. He said that already, party primaries for the Edo State Governorship election have been concluded. “By the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election, political parties have 20 days to upload the list and personal particulars of their candidates to our dedicated portal. “We have trained party Liaison Officers and established a Help Desk for political parties. “The portal opened on 4th March 2024 and will automatically shut down at 6pm on Saturday 24thMarch 2024. “Two weeks later, only six parties have uploaded their nominations to the portal. “We urge you to keep to our schedule of activities and avoid last minute rush that may undermine your ability to successfully nominate your candidates. “There will be no extension of time beyond the deadline already published in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election, to enable us publish the personal particulars of candidates (Form EC9) on 31st March 2024 as required by law. “For the Ondo State Governorship election, party primaries begin in the next two weeks on 6thApril 2024 and ends three weeks later on 27thApril 2024. “So far, 16 out of 19 political parties have indicated interest in participating in the election.
A Nigerian Pastor in the City of David, in Kildare, Ireland, Ebenezer Oduntan, has been convicted of a range of theft charges, involving more than €125,000, as well as multiple breaches of company law and deception. Ebenezer Oduntan is the former pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) City of David in Kildare, Ireland. The Pastor, who was also convicted of stealing money, faced 87 charges and found to operate an elaborate fraud, generating payments from the Revenue Commissioners. When his bank accounts were analysed as part of a criminal investigation into his finances, Oduntan was found to have passed five times more than his declared income through his accounts for the years 2012-2018. His trial concluded with guilty verdicts on Wednesday at Naas Circuit Court after a three-week hearing. He was convicted of nine company law offences, 73 counts of theft and five counts of deception. The court was told that he stole church funds, including cheques made payable to cash and cheques of up to €20,000 made payable to him personally. He was said to have ran “an elaborate fraud” involving the inflation of donations made to the church, which resulted in the Revenue Commissioners reimbursing more than it should have under the Charitable Donation Scheme. The church he once led claims to operate on “a mandate to preach the gospel of Jesus to all people and nations, and its members to live a lifestyle of holiness.” It also defines itself as “a bible believing church under the direction and guidance of the Holy Spirit.” The church, at one point, had a membership of more than 100 families, many of whom were the source of the donations from which Oduntan benefited. Current Pastor of the RCCG City of David in Ireland, Albert Adewunmi said that number of members declined in the wake of the scandal. Midway through his trial, Oduntan pleaded guilty to nine charges of furnishing false information to the Companies Registration Office, five counts of deception and 19 counts of theft. The jury in the case, before Judge Martina Baxter, on Wednesday returned guilty verdicts on all 54 outstanding charges. After the verdicts were returned, Oduntan was remanded in custody by Judge Baxter and is due to appear before the court again on April 10th.
No fewer than 60 civil servants, including nurses, other medical personnel in hospitals and those in education sector in the service of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), are currently battling with the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) and suspected syndicating scammers over millions of Naira February Salaries that have not been paid to them as at the middle of March. Investigations show that operatives of the IPPIS diverted the workers salaries to a group of suspected scammers, in the name of loans taken by the concerned workers from one man, David Chukwuma, using no fewer than 15 mushroom Micro Financial Institutions as accomplices. It was gathered that the IPPIS, which was not party to the terms of the loan from David Chukwuma and his syndicating scammers, came from no where to empty the salaries of the workers, who were beneficiaries of the loans, to the syndicating group and individuals. It was gathered that the syndicate is made up about 15 mushroom Banks, including Loan Book, Credit Direct, Essential Finance MF, Accello Micro Fnances, Letshego MF, Zedvance MFB, Teago Global, Liquid Crest, Link MFB, Penny Lender MFB and a company called Hi-Breed Consultant Services Limited. The syndicating scammers were said to have given out various forms of loans to the workers based on private arrangements that had nothing to do with the IPPIS.
David Chukwuma It was learnt that the IPPIS, without consulting with the workers, who are the loan beneficiaries, decided to be giving the salaries of the concerned workers to the syndicate, for the syndicating scammers to be paying the workers after deducting the agreed amount to service the loans. However, luck ran out of the IPPIS and the syndicate when workers could not access their entire February salaries, in breech of agreement to deduct the amount for servicing the loan and paying them the balance. It was gathered that the concerned workers, last Monday, gathered at the Hi-Breed Consultant Services Limited to know what went wrong, but were told that David Chukwuma, who has been the principal actor in the scam was not part of them in Hi-Breed Consultant. It was learnt that efforts by the frightened civil servants to get David Chukwuma on his mobile phone failed because he switched off the line. A lawyer, who claimed to be representing Hi-Breed Consultant, Barrister Monday Ehimare Jeffrey, begged the aggrieved civil servants to give him time to fish out David Chukwuma with a view to resolve the matter.
Barrister Ehimare Jeffrey However, as March is getting to an end and they have not heard from Barrister Ehimare Jeffrey, and not sure of the fate of their March salaries, the frightened civil servants have engaged an independent lawyer to confront the IPPIS on the propriety of handing over their entire salaries to a third-party like the syndicate, without any written agreement from them. The lawyer, Barrister Charles Audu is currently looking at the matter and promised to soon file the case in an Abuja Court against IPPIS. Barrister Ehimare Jeffrey have refused to respond to our reporter’s request to know his role in the whole scamming processes even as David Chukwuma switched off his line. Also, efforts to get the position of the IPPIS have not produced positive response as the new Director is yet to settle down to know what actually happened before he took over.
What was the motive of Distinguished Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi for raising a controversy over the 2024 federal budget? Since the Senate at its Plenary of Tuesday 12th March, 2024 deliberated over the matter and handed a three-month suspension to the Bauchi Senator, there have been countless commentaries in the media on the issue but few of them have considered the pertinent questions that would have helped Nigerians see what Senator Ningi sought to achieve by essentially stirring up a hornests’ nest. To start with, Ningi is not just a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He is a ranking Senator with vast experience in legislative business. Ningi was first elected to the House of Representatives at the beginning of the Fourth Republic in 1999 and is one of the longest serving federal lawmakers in Nigeria. He was the Majority Leader in the House of Representatives between 2003 and 2007, and Deputy Majority Leader in the Senate for another four years between 2011 and 2015. Those were privileged positions that made him a Principal Officer in both chambers of the National Assembly. That also means that the Bauchi Senator has participated actively in the passage of the federal budgets at the highest level. With his experience from all those privileged positions in his long tour of duty at the National Assembly, Ningi understands the nitty-gritty of the legislative and Appropriation processes in both Chambers of Parliament. Also, as a Distinguished Senator, he has unfettered access to all legislative documents. So it should be disturbing when a Senator of that calibre claimed that there were two versions of the 2024 budget and that the budget, which he actively participated in its passage, was padded with projects costed at trillions of Naira and skewed against his own section of the country. Let’s note at this point that Ningi never said in his hell-raising BBC (Hausa Service) interview or at that Tuesday Plenary or in any of his subsequent media shows that he was denied access to the budget document, whether as proposed by the Executive or as passed by the two Chambers of the National Assembly. He has the entire document, like every other Senator or Member of the House of Representatives. Are you not wondering then why he didn’t raise his observations when the document was being processed and during the final passage by the two Chambers? Given his many years in parliament, it is incredible that Senator Ningi said at that Tuesday Plenary that he didn’t know the full details of the budget. Even more so the claims that he was unaware that the National Assembly jerked up the original budget proposals by N1.2 trillion, from N27.5 trillion to N28.7 trillion, and that he had no knowledge of Statutory transfers of N3.32 trillion to Government institutions and agencies on first line charge. And curiously, Senator Ningi has not stressed in his media campaign the fact that he is a member of the Senate Appropriation Committee, which anchored the processing of the national budget in parliament. So he is familiar with the document, its content and processing more than many other of his colleague Senators. The 2024 Appropriation Bill was signed into law on 31st December, 2023. But Ningi waited until 7th March, 2024 to rally some members of the Northern Senators’ Forum (NSF) to complain to the President of the Senate, Godswill Obot Akpabio, about the budget. Why did it take an experienced ranking Senator and a member of the Senate Appropriation Committee two months and seven days after passage to realised that something was amiss with the Appropriation Bill, which is often the most important law passed by Parliament? Why did Ningi wait that long after the Bill had been signed into law to hire a consultant (for N30 million) to scrutinise a document that was presented to the National Assembly on 29th November, 2023? It was commendable that Senator Ningi at least drew the attention of the Senate President to his “discoveries,” however belatedly. The Senate President asked to see the details of the “discoveries” made by the consultant. A fellow member of the NSF, Distinguished Senator Ali Ndume, said he also asked Ningi for the same information. But rather than availing them with it, Ningi headed to BBC Hausa Service, the day after the meeting with the Senate President, to grant his explosive interview. Why? And why BBC Hausa Service? Was it to play the ethnic card? The members of the NSF at the meeting with the Senate President agreed on the need to establish the facts before any further step was taken. So why was Senator Ningi impatient to have his claims verified, even by members of his own Forum, and exhaust internal mechanism for correction of any anomaly before escalating it to an international audience? Senator Ningi has said repeatedly that the “discoveries” are known to him and only him alone. He has exclusive knowledge of the report of the consultant that he hired, most likely in the name of the NSF. No other member of the Forum is privy to the findings of the consultant. Isn’t that awkward? Why is he keeping the “findings” to himself? Why is he reluctant to share them with even Distinguished Senators in his Forum? Some of them implored him to apologise at the Plenary after his claims had been established to be fictitious. But rather than heed their advise, Senator Ningi flew from the main issue to unrelated matters like the take home pay of the Senate President and the number of aides the Senate President and other Principal Officers have! Why? According to the Senate Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, Ningi’s astonishing fiction was merely the opening salvo in a plot for Senate leadership change. As it turned out, that plot failed because the protagonist has no backing of any group in the Upper Chamber, not even of the Forum he chaired before the gambit forced him to step aside from the chair.
***Awoniyi, Media Aide to Senate President, wrote in from Abuja
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) have announced a seven-day warning strike, commencing on March 18, 2024.
This decision stemmed from the unions’ demand for the payment of four months’ withheld salaries following the 2022 nationwide strike.
In a statement today, March 17, SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim emphasized that this strike is a last resort after exhausting other avenues to address the salary issue.
“After a joint meeting in Akure over the weekend, the unions’ joint action committee resolved to embark on the warning strike due to the Federal Government’s alleged abandonment and failure to respond to their previous communications.”
The unions warned of further action if the government fails to act positively. This development follows accusations from the unions of being treated with disdain by the Federal Government despite President Bola Tinubu’s directive to pay withheld salaries.
SSANU and NASU stressed their role in university administration and urged the government to fulfill its obligations to ensure industrial harmony.
President Bola Tinubu who is the Commander-In-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces has commanded Defence Headquarters and the Chief of Defence Staff to act decisively in dealing with those involved in killing 16 soldiers, including officers on a peace keeping operation to Okuoma Community in Delta State. The President, who expressed grief over the unexpected killing of the officers, asked the military authorities to do justice to the perpetrators of the sad development. In a statement today, March 17, President Tinubu said: “On Saturday morning, the Nigerian people and I woke up to the dreadful news of the unprovoked killing of our brave military personnel during a rescue mission to Okuoma Community, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State. “The incident occurred on Thursday 14 March, 2024 when our troops, responding to a crisis between Okuama and Okoloba communities in Delta State were ambushed. A Commanding Officer, two Majors, one Captain and twelve soldiers sadly lost their lives. One civilian was also killed. “As the Commander-in-Chief, I join all well-meaning Nigerians and the men and women of our armed forces to mourn and express my profound grief over the needless death of our gallant soldiers. “I extend my profound condolences to the families of these fallen soldiers, their colleagues and their loved ones. The military high command is already responding to this incident. The cowardly offenders responsible for this heinous crime will not go unpunished. “This incident, once again, demonstrates the dangers faced by our servicemen and women in the line of duty. I salute their heroism, courage and uncommon grit and patriotism. “As a nation, we must constantly remember and honour all those who have paid the ultimate price to keep our country safe, strong and united. “The officers and men who died in Okuama community have joined the pantheon of great men and women who gave their all, with honour, in the service of our fatherland. “Members of our armed forces are at the heart and the core of our nationhood. “Any attack on them is a direct attack on our nation. We will not accept this wicked act. “The Defence Headquarters and Chief of Defence Staff have been granted full authority to bring to justice anybody found to have been responsible for this unconscionable crime against the Nigerian people. “My government will not relent until we achieve peace and tranquillity in every part of Nigeria. “May God continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria and keep the members of our armed forces safe.” Bola Ahmed Tinubu President & Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 17th March, 2024
“The government must take decisive measures to prevent such atrocities from recurring. The culprits, especially the youths involved, must be swiftly brought to justice. The traditional rulers overseeing this tragedy must face the consequences for their negligence.” This is the position canvassed by the Alumni of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), in a statement reacting to the killing of 16 military personnel in Delta State on March 14. NIPSS described the killing which was carried out by youths when the soldiers responded to a distress call over the clash between Okuama and Okoloba communities, as an “unforgivable affront to our nation’s values.” The statement by the NIPSS President, Emmanuel Okafor, demanded that the perpetrators, including the community leaders, must face the law. The statement read: “The Alumni Association of the National Institute vehemently condemns the spine-chilling assault on our brave troops of the 181 Amphibious Battalion, Bomadi LGA, Delta State. This is an unforgivable affront to our nation’s values, therefore our hearts bleed for the families of these fallen heroes and all Nigerians. “Consequently, this despicable act of barbarism must not be swept under the rug. We demand swift and decisive action from both the Federal and Delta State governments. The perpetrators, including the community leaders, must face the full force of the law. “No one who dares to spill the blood of our defenders and attack Nigeria should escape justice. The perpetrators must face swift justice, with no leniency shown to those who dare to spill the blood of our beloved soldiers for whatever reason.” The NIPSS alumni feared that the attack could discourage future peace efforts, urging the government to prevent a recurrence of the incident. “This cowardly attack not only dampens our spirits but also threatens future peace efforts as it strikes at the heart of our nation’s resolve for peace.” NIPSS is a policy formation centre for bureaucrats, private sector leaders, military officers and medium – rank and senior civil servants.
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Budget Padding: Salient Questions Nobody Is Asking Ningi, By Ola Awoniyi
What was the motive of Distinguished Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi for raising a controversy over the 2024 federal budget?
Since the Senate at its Plenary of Tuesday 12th March, 2024 deliberated over the matter and handed a three-month suspension to the Bauchi Senator, there have been countless commentaries in the media on the issue but few of them have considered the pertinent questions that would have helped Nigerians see what Senator Ningi sought to achieve by essentially stirring up a hornests’ nest.
To start with, Ningi is not just a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He is a ranking Senator with vast experience in legislative business. Ningi was first elected to the House of Representatives at the beginning of the Fourth Republic in 1999 and is one of the longest serving federal lawmakers in Nigeria. He was the Majority Leader in the House of Representatives between 2003 and 2007, and Deputy Majority Leader in the Senate for another four years between 2011 and 2015. Those were privileged positions that made him a Principal Officer in both chambers of the National Assembly. That also means that the Bauchi Senator has participated actively in the passage of the federal budgets at the highest level.
With his experience from all those privileged positions in his long tour of duty at the National Assembly, Ningi understands the nitty-gritty of the legislative and Appropriation processes in both Chambers of Parliament.
Also, as a Distinguished Senator, he has unfettered access to all legislative documents. So it should be disturbing when a Senator of that calibre claimed that there were two versions of the 2024 budget and that the budget, which he actively participated in its passage, was padded with projects costed at trillions of Naira and skewed against his own section of the country.
Let’s note at this point that Ningi never said in his hell-raising BBC (Hausa Service) interview or at that Tuesday Plenary or in any of his subsequent media shows that he was denied access to the budget document, whether as proposed by the Executive or as passed by the two Chambers of the National Assembly. He has the entire document, like every other Senator or Member of the House of Representatives.
Are you not wondering then why he didn’t raise his observations when the document was being processed and during the final passage by the two Chambers?
Given his many years in parliament, it is incredible that Senator Ningi said at that Tuesday Plenary that he didn’t know the full details of the budget. Even more so the claims that he was unaware that the National Assembly jerked up the original budget proposals by N1.2 trillion, from N27.5 trillion to N28.7 trillion, and that he had no knowledge of Statutory transfers of N3.32 trillion to Government institutions and agencies on first line charge.
And curiously, Senator Ningi has not stressed in his media campaign the fact that he is a member of the Senate Appropriation Committee, which anchored the processing of the national budget in parliament. So he is familiar with the document, its content and processing more than many other of his colleague Senators.
The 2024 Appropriation Bill was signed into law on 31st December, 2023. But Ningi waited until 7th March, 2024 to rally some members of the Northern Senators’ Forum (NSF) to complain to the President of the Senate, Godswill Obot Akpabio, about the budget. Why did it take an experienced ranking Senator and a member of the Senate Appropriation Committee two months and seven days after passage to realised that something was amiss with the Appropriation Bill, which is often the most important law passed by Parliament? Why did Ningi wait that long after the Bill had been signed into law to hire a consultant (for N30 million) to scrutinise a document that was presented to the National Assembly on 29th November, 2023?
It was commendable that Senator Ningi at least drew the attention of the Senate President to his “discoveries,” however belatedly.
The Senate President asked to see the details of the “discoveries” made by the consultant. A fellow member of the NSF, Distinguished Senator Ali Ndume, said he also asked Ningi for the same information. But rather than availing them with it, Ningi headed to BBC Hausa Service, the day after the meeting with the Senate President, to grant his explosive interview. Why? And why BBC Hausa Service? Was it to play the ethnic card?
The members of the NSF at the meeting with the Senate President agreed on the need to establish the facts before any further step was taken. So why was Senator Ningi impatient to have his claims verified, even by members of his own Forum, and exhaust internal mechanism for correction of any anomaly before escalating it to an international audience?
Senator Ningi has said repeatedly that the “discoveries” are known to him and only him alone. He has exclusive knowledge of the report of the consultant that he hired, most likely in the name of the NSF. No other member of the Forum is privy to the findings of the consultant. Isn’t that awkward?
Why is he keeping the “findings” to himself? Why is he reluctant to share them with even Distinguished Senators in his Forum?
Some of them implored him to apologise at the Plenary after his claims had been established to be fictitious. But rather than heed their advise, Senator Ningi flew from the main issue to unrelated matters like the take home pay of the Senate President and the number of aides the Senate President and other Principal Officers have! Why?
According to the Senate Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, Ningi’s astonishing fiction was merely the opening salvo in a plot for Senate leadership change. As it turned out, that plot failed because the protagonist has no backing of any group in the Upper Chamber, not even of the Forum he chaired before the gambit forced him to step aside from the chair.
***Awoniyi, Media Aide to Senate President, wrote in from Abuja