Bamidele, representing Ekiti Central, on Tuesday, maintained that what Ningi did was tantamount to a failed civilian coup, adding that he only wanted to use the Northern senators’ forum to push his agenda.
The Senate leader further said the attempt to take over the Senate’s leadership beyond June 13, 2023, must stop.
Senator Ningi had, in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (Hausa Service) on Saturday, alleged that the budget passed by the National Assembly for the 2024 fiscal year is N25tn while the one being implemented by the Presidency is N28.7tn.
But, on Monday, at a press conference in Abuja, he clarified that he never said that the president was running two budgets but that there was an N3.7tn yet to be accounted for.
He said, “At no time did I say Bola Ahmed Tinubu is implementing two budgets.
“There was no time, at no time did I say Bola Tinubu was biased against the north. The Hausa version is there. At no time did I say Bola Ahmed Tinubu is implementing the N25tn budget.
“I said we have established beyond reasonable doubt that N25tn so far has nexus in the budget.”
However, Bamidele, while reacting to the allegation, said, “I am speaking as Senator Opeyemi Bamidele representing Ekiti, not as a Senate leader to say that Ningi was only fuelling this budget padding allegation to push for a failed civilian coup in the Senate.
“Over 60 senators voted for Akpabio, and over 40 voted against him. That’s the will of the majority. But a few have refused to let the electioneering activities pass them by. They still hold bile, and that is why it is always about Akpabio, never about the Senate, House of Representatives, DG, or Budget.
“All of us passed this budget, and it was never about Mr President who signed this budget. It is always about Akpabio. We have momentum; this is a defining moment for all of us to say if we are going to have a stable Senate.
“It is not about North and South. It is about our rules (the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria). It is about our people who are á.hungry and deprived. Mr President (Akpabio), make no mistake, if you people who feel they are not going to give you more than one year, to spend on this chair, they want to do everything possible before the 13th of June to remove you.
“I want Nigerians to know for history’s sake that the last time the people of South-South had a chance to be Senate President was 40 years ago. The last time the South had a chance to be Senate President was during Obasanjo’s administration 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, we had peace because we (the South) will always cooperate. David Mark spent eight years. Ahmad Lawal spent four peaceful years. Even Saraki, with all he did, spent four peaceful years.
“It is about Akpabio; it is about the South; you can now understand why Senator Ningi will want to use the platform of the Northern Senators Forum to push an agenda even when they disagreed with him. Mr President, I plead with you that this is an opportunity for us to let our rules prevail.
Reacting to Senator Jarigbe Jarigbe’s (PDP, Cross-River North) claim that all ranking senators received N500m each, Bamidele said, “I beg all of you to let us do the right thing. We have 12 months to implement the 2024 budget. Let’s see if any of these senators will not use these monies (N500m each) for projects in their constituencies.”
The PUNCH earlier reported that the Senate had suspended Senator Ningi for three months over his claim that the 2024 Budget was padded to the tune of N3.7 trillion.
The motion for his suspension was moved by Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, who moved an amended motion for the suspension of Ningi for 12 months while adding that Senator Sumaila Kawu (Kano South, NNPP) be warned.
