‘Budget Padding’: Akpabio Gets 7-Day Ultimatum To Reinstate Ningi

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked the Senate President, Mr Godswill Akpabio, to reinstate Senator Abdul Ningi who was recently suspended from the red chamber.

Senator Ningi was suspended over his allegations during an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, that lawmakers padded the 2024 budget by arbitrarily inserting projects worth N3.7 trillion.

The embattled senator’s allegation has since been dismissed by the presidency, describing it as “primordial antics”.

Also, senators from northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), under the aegis of Northern Senators Forum (NSF), have dismissed Ningi’s claim, saying that it was “his personal opinion, sentiment and unfortunately skewed, incorrect and misleading.”

But reacting to the budget padding saga, SERAP asked Akpabio to refer the allegations to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The organisation also urged the former Akwa Ibom State governor to make a public commitment to discontinue constituency projects in the next budget cycle.

SERAP noted that if nothing is done within 7 days, it would consider taking legal actions to compel Akpabio and the Senate to comply with its requests.

In a letter dated March 16, 2024 and signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation stated that referring the allegations to appropriate anticorruption agencies would be consistent with the lawmakers’ oath of office and the letter and spirit of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

SERAP commended Ningi for blowing the whistle, describing his action as “a positive act of good citizenship”, adding that no whistleblower should “ever be penalised” for raising a public interest concern.

The letter read in part: “Without inside information, corruption is hard to detect, prevent and combat. Rather than suspending Senator Ningi, the Senate ought to have used his allegations as a trigger for addressing the lingering problem of budget padding and corruption in the implementation of constituency projects.”

“Referring the allegations to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would improve public trust in the ability of the leadership of the Senate to ensure probity and accountability in the budget process.”

“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel you and the Senate to comply with our requests in the public interest.”

“Lawmakers should feel safe to freely raise public interest concerns, just as Senator Ningi has done in disclosing information on alleged budget padding and corruption in the Senate.”

“Senator Ningi is a whistleblower, who is protected under article 33 of the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party. Senator Ningi is a whistleblower because of his public interest disclosures on alleged budget padding and corruption in the Senate in the context of carrying out his work as Senator.”

“He is entitled to raise concerns about allegations of budget padding in the National Assembly to address the negative effects of corruption on access of millions of Nigerians to basic public goods and services and enjoyment of human rights.”

“The allegations by Senator Ningi amount to public interest disclosures and can contribute to strengthening transparency and democratic accountability in the Senate in particular and the country as a whole.”

“Suspension of Senator Ningi by the Senate followed a seriously flawed process and it amounts to retaliation. Senator Ningi’s status as a whistleblower is not diminished even if the perceived threat to the public interest has not materialised, since he would seem to have reasonable grounds to believe in the accuracy of the allegations of budget padding and corruption in the Senate.”

“SERAP notes that freedom of expression is a constitutional and internationally recognized human right in Nigeria, and the country has enacted the Freedom of Information Act which grants Nigerians the right to seek and receive information such as the information about budget padding being disclosed by Senator Ningi.”

“Whistleblowing is a fundamental aspect of freedom of expression and freedom of conscience and is important in tackling gross mismanagement of Nigeria’s commonwealth. Whistleblowing can act as an early warning to prevent damage as well as detect wrongdoing that may otherwise remain hidden.”