Alleged budget padding: Senator Ningi must be charged with criminal misinformation – Jimoh Ibrahim

The Senator representing Ondo South, Jimoh Ibrahim, has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Senator Abdul Ningi for claiming that the National Assembly passed two versions of the 2024 Budget.

Ningi, representing Bauchi Central, acting under the banner of the Northern Senators Forum, made the claim in an interview he granted BBC Hausa Service.

Addressing Senate correspondents on Monday, Ibrahim, a member of the Appropriation Committee in the Senate, took a swipe at Ningi, stating that it is not true that the country has two Appropriation Acts as claimed by his colleague.

Ibrahim said that the Senate must in the next seven days mandate the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to as a matter of urgency arrest Ningi and charge him to court for criminal misinformation and conduct.

He vowed that if the IGP fails to do that, he will ask for the Order of Mandamus to compel a public officer to do that.

According to Ibrahim, “The President of Nigeria cannot operate two budgets, they can only operate within the existence of the Appropriation Act of 2024.

“My distinguished brother, Senator Ningi made this false information and it is unacceptable, it is causing uncomfortable pains to our integrity, that of our children and family.

“I have decided that as a Senator representing the people of Ondo South, I will ask the Inspector General of Police, to as a matter of urgency, charge Ningi to court for criminal misinformation and conduct.

“If the Senate does not do that within the next seven days, I will write a letter, I have started that, to the Inspector General of Police to investigate the circumstances leading to the approval of two appropriations in 2024, bring the culprit to book, and if the IGP will not do it, I will ask for the Order of Mandamus to compel a public officer to do that.

“It is not true that we have two appropriations. Secondly, Senator Ningi must be charged to court for conduct likely going to be called breach of peace and criminal misinformation after thorough investigation.

“I am a member of the Appropriation Committee, and Chairman of Inter-Parliamentary Worldwide, when I go to the next United Nations Convention, the first question I’ll be asked is how did you do two budgets and it will be difficult for me to begin to answer those questions.”