Senate, not me, suspended Ningi, Akpabio replies Falana

Pof the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has exonerated himself from the three- month suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi from the upper legislative chamber. The Bauchi Central representative was axed on March 14 this year 2024 for accusing the leadership of padding the 2024 budget during an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation ( BBC).

But human rights activist, Femi Falana, in a letter to Akpabio, entitled, “Request to lift the suspension of Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi, dated March 27, 2024, compelled him to immediately lift the suspension. Replying through his counsel, Umeh Kalu, the former governor of Akwa Ibom State exculpated himself from the exercise.

The legal representative wrote: “We have carefully read through your analysis of the facts and circumstances leading to your client’s suspension from the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and are unable to find reason in your verdict of our client’s sole culpability in the said suspension. “The decision and resolution to suspend Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi was that of the Senate sitting in plenary and not that of Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio. “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.

“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 of the Legislative House at the end of debate and voting. “Permit us to mention your attempt at drawing our client’s attention to legal authorities and pronouncements of our courts of record on the unconstitutionality of suspending members of Legislative Houses, which attempt we dare say was unhelpful, due to your failure or refusal to make available the relevant particulars of the said court decisions in your letter.”