The Senate Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, has attributed allegation that a whopping sum of N3.7tr was padded underground on the 2024 budget passed by the Senate to purported plot to unseat Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
Senator Abdul Ningi who made this claim was on Tuesday suspended for three months by his colleagues over the imputation.
Bamidele during the debate of the controversial issue on the floor of the Red Chamber said it was all ploy to get Akpabio out of office by June 13 courtesy of disgruntled Senators.
The Ekiti Central Senator also traced the alleged plot to sack the former Akwa-Ibom governor to ethnic agenda.
According to him, “I stand with due respect to say that what my big brother, Senator Abdul Ningi, whom I respect so well, planned to do or set out to do was tantamount to a civilian coup, which has failed.
“In doing this, he wanted to use the name of the Northern Senators Forum. God bless the members of the forum who have dissociated themselves from the allegation.
“Over 60 senators voted for Godswill Akpabio, and over 40 voted against him. Some of those who voted against Akpabio had moved on and agreed to work with him, saying the election was over. A few have refused to do this.
“That’s why it is always about Akpabio, never about the Senate, never about the House of Representatives, never about the Budget Office, never about the President who signed this budget. It is always about Akpabio.
“Mr. President (Akpabio), make no mistake about it; a few people who felt they would not give you more than one year to spend on the seat want to do everything possible before the 13th of June to remove you.
“I’m telling you, Mr. President, and I want Nigerians to know that the last time the people of South South, whom you represent, had a chance to be Senate President was over 40 years ago.
“The last time the entire people of the South had a chance to be Senate President was during the Obasanjo regime. When it went to the South East, five people were elected because they were impeached in quick succession.
“But as soon as it left the South and returned to the North, we had peace and stability again because we always cooperated. David Mark spent eight years, and Senator Ahmad Lawan spent four peaceful years. Bukola Saraki, even with all he did, spent four years; he was not impeached.
“It is about Akpabio; it is about the South. You can now understand why Senator Ningi would want to use the name of the Northern Senators Forum, even though most of the members did not agree to this.
“We must never accept any apology from Senator Ningi. He did it on purpose. We must apply our sanction.”
