TheCable

Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president, on Monday, visited Abdul Ningi, the suspended lawmaker representing Bauchi central district in the senate. 

Abubakar visited the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker at his residence in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

“During a solidarity visit to Sen. Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, I stressed the importance of preserving the integrity of government institutions if the interests of Nigerians are to be better served and the envisaged development attained,” Abubakar wrote in a post on X.

“I assured Sen. Ningi that he is not alone in the battle that earned him a suspension in the Senate.”

 Ningi sparked controversy when he alleged that the 2024 budget was padded by N3 trillion and that the country is operating two budgets concurrently.

Subsequently, the senate debated the matter at the “committee of the whole”.

On March 12, the senate suspended Ningi for three months over the claim.

Weeks later, Ningi, through Femi Falana, his counsel, gave Senate President Godswill Akpabio a seven-day ultimatum to lift his suspension from the upper legislative chamber. 

The lawmaker said he would approach a federal high court for his reinstatement if the suspension is not lifted within seven days.

However, there has been no information about Ningi approaching the court to challenge his suspension.

The former vice-president expressed solidarity with the senator, saying he is not alone.