Arewa Initiative Criticizes ACF’s Stance on Senator Ningi’s Suspension

The Arewa Initiative for the Defence and Promotion of Democracy (AIDPD) has expressed discontent with the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) over its position regarding the suspension of ex-Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum (NSF), Senator Abdul Ningi, in relation to the budget padding controversy.

In a press statement released on Monday, the spokesperson for AIDPD, Tasiu Haruna, advised the ACF not to align itself with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but to remain “an umbrella association of all northerners.”

The ACF had previously condemned the senate’s suspension of Senator Ningi (PDP – Bauchi Central) following his allegation on the BBC Hausa Service that the 2024 budget was padded to the tune of N3.7 trillion.

During the investigation last Tuesday, lawmakers, including the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Solomon Olamilekan, clarified that the amount quoted by Ningi was for agencies under the first-line charge.

In response to the ACF, Haruna stated that Northern stakeholders were perturbed by the claim that the budget was skewed in favor of the Southern part of Nigeria, accusing Ningi of following a script.

Haruna emphasized, “His inability to counter the claims by Senate Committee Chairman on Appropriation that the money was budgetary provisions for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), National Judicial Council (NJC), Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), National Assembly, Public Complaints Commission, North East Development Commission (NEDC), and other enterprises, deflated his allegation and should have laid to rest the controversy.”

Expressing disappointment with the ACF’s stance, Haruna noted, “We were shocked and disappointed when the spokesman of the ACF, Prof. Tukur Baba issued a press statement on the matter.

Unfortunately, the forum descended this low to allow itself to be used for a partisan agenda.”

The Arewa Initiative further advised the ACF to invite key personalities involved in the country’s budget-making process for a thorough explanation of the matter.

“The minister, the chairman of the House committee, and the vice chairman of the Senate committee are from the North, while the South has the chairman of the Senate and the vice chairman of the House.

We expect the ACF to invite the three northerners to speak on the matter before jumping to a conclusion. This is ridiculously bad for our beloved region.

The ACF should not be seen to be in an unholy romance with the PDP but an umbrella association of all northerners,” Haruna added.