Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi has resigned from his position as the Chairman of Northern Senators’ Forum (NSF) following his allegation of budget padding against the Senate.

Ningi tendered his resignation in a letter dated Monday, Monday, March 11, 2024 and addressed to the NSF Secretary.

“I will like to resign my position as the Chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum. This is of course necessitated by unfolding events in the National Assembly, the North and the Nation at large,” wrote Ningi.

“I will like to specially thank members of the forum for the opportunity given to me for the last eight (8) months to spearhéad this very important forum.

“I believe this forum is very important and fundamental to the progress and development of Northern Nigeria.”

The Senate on Tuesday handed out a three month suspension to Ningi following his allegation of budget padding, asking the Senator not to take part in all its activities.

The Senate while suspending him, however, agreed that if Ningi tenders an apology during the period, he would be recalled to resume his legislative activities.

The Senate made this decision after debating the allegation made by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Senator representing Bauchi Central senatorial District, a claim he stood his ground on.

Ningi remained adamant on his earlier claim that projects worth N3.7 trillion in the 2024 Appropriation Act are not traceable.

The Senator refused to back down on his claim during an interview with the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on Monday.

He had initially made an allegation that the National Assembly debated and passed N25 trillion as the 2024 budget instead of the N28.7 trillion that is being implemented by the federal government.

Ningi had also alleged that the 2024 budget was not fair to all the regions of the country.

“I am not afraid of suspension by the Senate. I stand by what I said: N3.7 trillion not traced to any project in the 2024 Budget. I spoke for myself and not on behalf of the Northern Senator Forum,” said Ningi.

“I never said the federal government is operating with two budgets. I only said N25 trillion was traced to projects and N3.7 trillion was not traced to any project.”

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, on Tuesday said the integrity of the Senate has been totally damaged.

Akpabio said the upper chamber has been subjected to ridicule as Nigerians are bashing the parliament.

He faulted Ningi’s earlier interview and for also granting a follow-up interview where he purportedly justified his initial claim of budget padding.

“Nigerians are bashing the Senate. Many Nigerians will never in future come back to respect this chamber. The integrity of this chamber has been totally damaged and we wanted you to repair it with your speech,” he said.

“Instead of that, you said you have more documents to prove what you are saying. This thing is in the public glare. I have not received full details up to this moment. If you had given me full details, I would have been able to know what you know.

“So far, what you know is only known to you, it is not known to any other person. I don’t know how you rushed to the press carrying different versions. The social media is very fast. From Canada, the United States, everywhere, the story was budget padding by the Senate.”