By Suleiman Anyalewechi
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, on Thursday, April 4, 2024, told suspended Senator Abdul Ningi, that his fate was not determined by him as a person, but by the Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Source reports that the Bauchi Central Senator, was on March 12, slammed with a three-month suspension by the Senate over comments credited to him about the alleged padding of the 2024 budget to the tune of N3.7 trillion .
But the embattled Senator Ningi on March 27, through his Counsel, Femi Falana, SAN, wrote to the Senate President demanding his recall within seven days or be left with no other option but to seek legal redress.
However, in a reaction letter written by Akpabio’s lawyer Umeh Kalu, SAN, and made available to the media on Thursday in Abuja, Senator Akpabio, insisted that the decision and resolution to suspend Ningi was a collective effort of the Senate, and not that of the person and/or the office of Senate President.
“We have carefully read through your analysis of the facts and circumstances leading to your client’s suspension, from the senate .
,”We are unable to find reason in your verdict of our client’s sole culpability in the said suspension. We, therefore plead non est factum for our client.
“In addition to the above, and contrary to the contents of your letter under reference ,our client was at no time your client’s accuser ,prosecutor,and judge .
“So our Client’s role at the session ,of the Senate that led to your Client’s suspension was and remains the statutory role of a Legislative House Presiding Officer ,which role equally includes pronouncing the majority decision at the end of debates and voting” Akpabio’s Counsel’s letter to Falana partly stated.
The Senate President while urging Suspended senator Ningi to stop perceiving his suspension as unconstitutional,noted that such a mind set will not be helpful to his cause in the present circumstances.
Akpabio stated that Ningi should have been aware that all legislative proceedings are guided by rules ,insisting that the embattled Senator be properly guided in his next line of action.
