Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed on Wednesday has expressed his displeasure at the action of thr Nigerian Senate to suspend Senator Ningi.

Describing him as one of the ‘best of us from Bauchi’, the Governor said he is saddened that the Senator was suspended for telling the truth and called for proper investigation into the alleged N3 trillion budget padding in the approved 2023 fiscal document.

Abdul Ningi, a senator representing Bauchi Central under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that the amount is strange to the lawmaker and has no allocation in the approved budget.

Ningi, was also the Chairman, Northern senators was deserted by his colleague for raising the issue, saying the claim did not represent the views of the Forum. He has come under fire and was suspended by the Senate for three months. The lawmaker also resigned his position as the leader of the Forum on Tuesday after the suspension.

Meanwhile, while reacting to the development, Governor Bala Mohammed while speaking during a meeting of the State Executive Council on Wednesday, said that he is in support of Senator Ningi.

He said: “We will continue as opposition to the Federal Government but that will be done in our own modesty and that is not to disparage our country. Yesterday, I was very sad that the Senate suspended one of our best in Bauchi for telling the truth, for standing to be the beacon of truth –Senator Abdul Ningi.”

“Equally I don’t know what we will do but we will discuss privately to see what we can do to support him because I support whatever he is doing. And that is the face of the opposition, especially if what he is saying is the truth. We will investigate that. I am not too quick to go to the media but, certainly, he has shown courage. He has shown he is from Bauchi and we have to be with him,” he said.

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, again increased the exchange rate for calculating Customs duties at the country’s seaports by 1.9 per cent to N1.624.732 per US dollar amid the Naira crisis.

Data on the official portal of the Nigeria Customs Service indicated that the rate was raised from N1,593.888 to N1.624.732 per USD on Tuesday.

The implication is that importers who opened Form M on Tuesday will pay more to clear their goods as import duties are benchmarked against the dollar.

Meanwhile, port users have rejected the policy of using the exchange rate on Form M for import duty payment because it will add more challenges to the trade process.

The National President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, Emenike Nwokeoji, said using the Form M rate will create a discrepancy in duties paid on similar imports.

According to him, it would further create uncertainties around the country’s pricing structure of goods and services.

“It will also create abnormal increases in the final sale prices of items, which is largely driven by uncertainties, rather than market fundamentals, and will have implications on inflations,” he warned.

DAILY POST recalls that the CBN had raised the exchange rate for import duties at least six times in the last six weeks.

On February 2, the CBN adjusted the exchange rate for calculating import duties from N951.941 to N1,356.883 per US dollar; on February 3, it was raised to N1,413.62/$; on February 10, it was raised to N1,417.635/$; on February 12, it was reviewed to N1, 444.56/$ and February 14, the rate has been raised to N1, 481.482/$.

Meanwhile, the CBN also reduced the exchange rate depending on the standing of the Naira against the USD in the forex market.

Earlier in a fresh guideline in February, the apex bank advised NCS to adopt a foreign exchange closing rate on the date of the Form M submission by importers for the clearance of goods and import duty assessment.

The Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) has warned parents to desist from enrolling minors for the unified tertiary examination.

Naija News reports that this warning was issued in a statement by the Board’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, on Wednesday in Abuja.

It was in reaction to a suit filed by Mrs Ifeanyi Eke against the Board over inappropriate text messages sent to her 15-year-old daughter during her registration.

According to the Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, JAMB reported the event to security agencies so they could take the proper measures, but the mother didn’t care and sued for N100 million at the child’s expense.

Oloyede said the Board was ready to meet with the woman, insisting that the message sender was not a JAMB employee.

He said, “The person is not our staff, he is not even a staff of the centre, he is a co-student. He is just like a candidate, an undergraduate in one of the universities.

“And talking about our data, nobody has access to our data. The person got the information from the phone of the underage girl.

“How did your girl of 15 years get ready for university now? If she is law-abiding as she claimed. The law today is that you must spend six years before primary school, six years in primary school and six years in secondary school. By that time, you are 18.”

Recall that Eke had filed a N100m suit against JAMB and three others before the Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged unsolicited and inappropriate text messages sent to her 15-year-old daughter.

Samson Siasia and Emmanuel Amuneke were among those who met the deadline for submitting application letters to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for the vacant post of head coach of the Nigerian national football team, the Super Eagles.

Naija News reports that the Super Eagles coaching job application was open until yesterday, March 12th.

Recall that the NFF had publicized an advert seeking a passionate and experienced coach with a winning mentality.

The ideal candidate would have experience managing at the highest level, with a proven track record of success. Knowledge of African football was a plus, but not mandatory.

The Super Eagles coaching position was declared vacant just last week following former gaffer, Jose Peseiro‘s contract expiration at the end of February 2024.

Reports emerging on Wednesday morning revealed that at least twelve coaches beat the deadline for submitting application letters yesterday.

According to Vanguard, among those who successfully submitted their applications to the NFF are the former head coach of Tanzania’s senior men’s team, Taifa Stars, and the ex-coach of the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup-winning team, Golden Eaglets of Nigeria, Emmanuel Amuneke. Finidi George, who was Peseiro’s assistant coach, and former Super Eagles head coach Sunday Oliseh also submitted applications.

Others who filed their applications before the deadline are Samson Siasia, former Super Eagles head coach whose FIFA ban will soon be lifted, Sylvanus Okpala, ex-Super Eagles assistant coach under the late Stephen Keshi, and Michael Nsien, ex-USA U-16 team coach of Nigerian descent.

President Bola Tinubu joined the Muslim faithful at the State House mosque for the Ramadan Tafsir (translation of the Holy Qur’an) on Tuesday, appealing to Nigerians to pray for peace and stability in the country.

Declaring open the annual Tafsir, President Tinubu advised the Muslim faithful to demonstrate kindness to one another and their neighbours while also supporting the less privileged in society.

”We thank Almighty Allah for sparing us to see another holy month of Ramadan. We thank Allah for sparing us through the elections and giving us the opportunity to be Nigerians.

”Yes, things are tough, but Allah has ordained us to make sacrifices, to discipline ourselves, help others, and be kind to ourselves.

”May Almighty God, that gave us this opportunity, strengthen our resolve; help us change our country, and extend our love to our neighbours.

”We face challenges of kidnapping, banditry, and others. May Allah show mercy on all of us, the dead, and accept our good deeds.

”May Almighty Allah give us strength and good life to see the month of Ramadan through and to continue in good faith to worship him. I advise all of us to continue to pray for our country,” the President said.

President Tinubu told the Ulamas that God has given them the wisdom, knowledge, and the heart to teach others, emphasizing the importance of teaching forgiveness, patience, and endurance to the faithful, as well as sharing their blessings with others.

”It is in our hearts to make sacrifices and share whatever little we have with our brothers and sisters. Be kind and humble enough. The sacrifice that this period teaches us is enough.

”May Almighty Allah grant us the privilege and the strength; not the strength of hunger but the strength of character and attitude to love our country and make Nigeria great. As-Salaam-Alaikum,” the President prayed.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has deactivated 6,409 illegal refineries in the Niger Delta region.

The Group Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr Mele Kyari, made the disclosure at an interactive session with the EFCC’s chairman, Mr Ola Olukoyede, which was held at the NNPC Towers in Abuja.

Speaking about the efforts by NNPC Ltd to eradicate corruption from its system; stem the crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism, Kyari contended that going by the volume of oil stolen daily and the brazenness with which the perpetrators operate, crude oil theft was the most humongous and virulent economic crime in Nigeria that must attract the attention of the EFCC.

He said: “Today, we have disconnected up to 4,846 illegal pipes connected to our pipelines, that is out of 5,543 such illegal connection points. That means there are a vast number of such connections that we have not removed.

“As we continue to do our best to deepen transparency and stamp out corruption from the system, there is one big challenge that you will need to help us with, Mr Chairman. That challenge is crude theft. It fits into everything you have said – the people, the asset, the opportunity and the absence of deterrence.

“I believe, personally, that the very purpose of your commission is to curtail economic crimes, and there is no bigger economic crime of this scale anywhere else than what is happening in this area.”

On corruption within the system, Kyari explained that by law, NNPC Ltd is required to maintain high ethical standards and has put in place structures and measures to curb discretionary actions which fuel corruption, stressing that most processes in the company have been fully automated to discourage arbitrary actions.

In his presentation, the Executive Chairman of EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede, expressed satisfaction with NNPC Ltd’s commitment to issues of ethics and code of conduct.

He, however, challenged the management to ensure that the codes of ethics and regulations are complemented with monitoring and enforcement to enhance deterrence.

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, called on the Office of the National Security Adviser to coordinate intelligence and security operations in the country, particularly in Kaduna State, following last week’s abduction of over 200 students in the Chikun Local Government Area of the state by suspected bandits.

The lawmakers also expressed worry that in spite of the N3.25tn security and defence spending approved by the National Assembly, the security situation in the country was far from the expectations of Nigerians.

This was just as the lawmakers in the Green Chamber called for the control of small and light weapons amid worsening insecurity in some parts of the country.

The House’s resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion on matters of urgent public importance titled, “Urgent need to tackle the abhorrent abduction of over 200 students in Kuriga community of Chikun and secure lives and property in Kaduna State.”

The motion was moved by the member representing Lere Federal Constituency, Kaduna State, Ahmed Munir.

The PUNCH had reported that on March 7, 2024, gunmen stormed the Local Education Authority Primary School and Government Secondary School in Kuriga Community, taking into captivity over 200 pupils and students.

Leading the debate, the lawmaker noted that just two months ago, a school principal, Abu Sufyan, was killed and his wife and baby abducted, adding that the wife and baby were later rescued in a successful joint security operation on February 3, 2024.

He said, “The House is aware that on Friday, March 8, 2024, gunmen attacked worshippers in a mosque at Angwar Makera, Kwasakwasa Community in the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State, with two persons declared dead.

“This worrisome trend of violence is seeping into other parts of the state affecting persons of all religious and ethnic backgrounds.”

He expressed concern that despite “The N3.25trn allocated to the defence and security sector on drones and other military equipment that could have tracked, located and rescued victims, there has been no respite as the bulk of the actions by security personnel are reactionary rather than proactive.”

Following the adoption of the motion, the House mandated the Office of the National Security Officer to “coordinate and galvanize all security and intelligence networks to develop and execute a proactive master plan to restore security with defined plans on coordinating with neighbouring countries.

“The plan must include boots on ground land and aerial sweep of locations that include but not limited to Kuyambana forest in Zamfara, Kamuka forest in Kaduna, Falgore forest in Kano, Borgu and Zugurma forests in Niger State.”

The lawmakers also urged the Office of the NSA to “revisit and optimise fully the Acts passed for the National Counter-Terrorism Centre as well as the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, and ensure that they fully serve the purpose of their establishment.”

…Senate suspends Ningi, more controversies hit Upper Chamber

…We are all guilty, nobody has a right to accuse Ningi — Senator Jarigbe

Plenary for the Senate on Tuesday was coloured with rowdy session which further exposed the Upper Chamber to fiercer wind of confusion, particularly on controversies over budgetary imbalances.

The disclosure of budget padding to the tune of N3.7 trillion made by Senator representing Bauchi Central, Abdul Ningi, who was the Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, until his resignation on Tuesday after a suspension blow from the Senate, threw the upper chamber into the wind.

Motion to place punitive action on Ningi over his statement in an interview he granted to the BBC Hausa Service, on Saturday, that the budget passed by the National Assembly for the 2024 fiscal year is N25 trillion, while the one being implemented by the Presidency is N28.7 trillion, took a divergent view among Senators on the floor of the red chamber, generating more controversies.

…Ningi suspended, resigns as NSF Chair

Ningi was suspended on Tuesday following his allegations that about N3.7 trillion in the budget is not tied to any project.

Ningi on Monday had insisted that a sum of N3.7trillion in the 2024 budget was not tied to any project.

After making allegations of padding the 2024 budget with N3.7trillion tied to no projects, Ningi a former Deputy Senate leader, was suspended for three months over his comments in the interview he granted to the BBC Hausa Service on Saturday, where he alleged that the budget passed by the National Assembly for the 2024 fiscal year is N25 trillion, while the one being implemented by the Presidency is N28.7 trillion.

After much controversy over the allegation, the Senate on Tuesday passed a resolution to suspend the lawmaker for three months after a heated atmosphere.

According to the Senate, there is no evidence proving that the 2024 budget was padded as alleged by Ningi.

Although Ningi’s resignation letter as Chairman of the NSF was dated March 11, a copy was released shortly after Ningi was suspended by the Senate for three months following his comments on the alleged padding of the 2024 budget.

The letter reads: “I would like to resign my position as the Chairman of the Northern Senators forum. This is of course necessitated by unfolding events in the National Assembly, the North and the Nation at large.

“I would like to specially thank members of the forum for the opportunity given to me for the last eight (8) months to spearhead this very important forum. I believe this forum is very important and fundamental to the progress and development of Northern Nigeria.”

Ningi on Monday had said he was not afraid of suspension by the Senate as he was prepared to carry his cross.

According to Ningi, if he is suspended at the end of the day, he would see it as an honour against the backdrop that he believes in one God.

He had said power is transient, explaining that he spoke for himself and not on behalf of the Northern Senator Forum, (NSF), where he is chairman.

Ningi had clarified that there was no time during the interview that he said the Federal Government was operating two budgets. He added that he only said that N25 trillion was traced to projects, but that N3.7 trillion was not traced to any project.

Ningi had said, “I said we have established beyond reasonable doubt that N25 trillion so far has a nexus in the budget. That means that there is money, there is a project, and then there is location.

“But we are yet to ascertain N3 trillion of that budget. We have established the N3 trillion of that budget, we have not established its location and the place.

“However, I said going forward, the budget evaluation is ongoing. And I said lastly, the intention of the northern senators, as regards budgetary allocation, was to meet the Senate President with our findings and subsequently meet President Bola Tinubu.

“I have never acted as a regional person. And I have never spoken as a regional person, but I’m proud to say I’m a very proud northerner.

“It wasn’t a budget matter, but a budget issue. I believe in one God, and I believe power is transient. I believe what we are doing is temporary. I’m not scared of whatever you hear, I am not scared of any issue like suspension.

“If because I said what I would say, then I will be suspended, so be it. It will be an honour.”

Prior to his suspension on Tuesday, drama ensued when the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Sen Olamileken Adeola (Ogun West) stormed into the red chamber.

Sen. Adeola who was visibly angry in a high tone protested a closed door meeting to address the issue of claims of Ningi, while he kept saying, “No closed door, let’s do it open.”

In a later development, the Senate suspended Ningi for three months, asking him not to participate in all the activities of the 10th Senate.

The Senate also resolved that if Senator Ningi writes to apologise during the period, he shall be recalled to resume his legislative activities.

The resolution of the Senate on Tuesday was sequel to a motion by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Olamilekan Adeola (APC, Ogun West) on the allegations raised by Ningi of N3trn Budget Padding in the N28.7trn 2024 Appropriation Act and that the budget passed by the National Assembly for 2024 fiscal year is N25 trillion, while the one being implemented by the Presidency is N28.7 trn.

Earlier, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, APC, Ondo South, a member of the Senate Appropriation Committee, in an additional prayer had asked the Senate to suspend Ningi for an initial period of twelve months and seconded by Senator Edeh Dafinone, APC, Delta Cenchairman

An additional prayer was moved by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, APC, Cross River South that the suspension be reduced from twelve months to six months and his motion was seconded by Senator Barinada Mpigi, PDP, South East.

The additional prayer for suspension of a period of three months was raised by Senator Musa Garba Maidoki, PDP, Kebbi South and seconded by Senator Sani Musa, APC, Niger East.

The later additional prayer was put to vote by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio leading to Ningi’s suspension for three months.

…More controversies hit Senate, as revelation of ‘senior Senators’ who got N500m each from 2024 budget unfolds

However, more controversies set in for the Red Chamber as another issue of purported largesse to the tune of N500million set aside in the 2024 budget for each of some “senior Senators” was unravelled, amid debate on punitive measures to be meted on Ningi.

The development further threw the Upper Chamber into confusion.

On Tuesday, a Point of Order raised by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, was overtaken by event when Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe representing Cross River North, threw a bombshell when he revealed how some senior Senators got the sum of N500million from the 2024 budget.

Adeola, (APC Ogun West) raised a Point of Order against the allegation by Ningi.

The Senators were divided on the matter. However, as they took turns to speak on the floor of the Senate, more revelations confounded the matter, when Jarigbe, a PDP senator said some senators got N500 million each but he did not get it.

“All of us are culpable. Some so-called Senior Senators here got N500 million Naira each from the 2024 Budget, I am a ranking Senator and I didn’t get anything. No Senator has a right to accuse Senator Ningi,” Jarigbe said.

Controversies engulfed the Senate since last weekend when in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (Hausa Service) on Saturday, Senator Ningi said that the budget being implemented by the Presidency is N28.7 trillion, whereas the one approved by the National Assembly for the 2024 fiscal year is N25 trillion.

While the Senate refuted Ningi’s claim, the Presidency said the National Assembly is responsible for up-shooting the budget away from what President Bola Tinubu presented.

Although Ningi later clarified that his claim was that N3.7 trillion in the 2024 budget was not tied to any project, he was suspended by the Senate at plenary on Tuesday for three months, just as he tendered a resignation as the Chairman of Northern Senators Forum.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu met behind closed doors with the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday shortly after the chaotic session at the Senate.

While the details of the meeting held behind closed doors was undisclosed as at the time of filing this report, it was gathered it was not unconnected with the controversies which the Senate is presently engulfed in.

The Co-Founder of civic group Budgit, Seun Onigbinde has stated that Senator Abdul Ningi was right about his claims that there was no detailed project allocations for about N3.7trn of the N28.78trn 2024 Appropriation Act.

Onigbinde stated this during a guest appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Tuesday.

However, he insisted that it was not true that Nigeria was running two concurrent budget

“There should be a detailed breakdown of the budget. On that point, Senator Ningi is right but to say that we are running two parallel budgets, I don’t think that is factual,” he said.

Recall that Ningi, had resigned as Chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum, after he was suspended by his colleagues in the red chamber on Tuesday over budget padding allegations.

Onigbinde said as the rowdy session by Senate was ongoing, the Budgit team fact-checked claims by Ningi.

According to him, “As the Senate rowdy session was going on, we were also fact-checking and one of the things we found out is that we were not able to lay hold to the claim by Senator Ningi. A budget of N28.7trn was passed into law and we were not able to see where N3.7trn (was missing).

“Historically, there are items in the budget that don’t have breakdown like statutory transfers but that does not means there is a certain level of capital projects by the Federal Government that was appropriated and does not have a breakdown.”

He said the entire capital project was around N9trn in the 2024 Appropriation Act signed into law by President Bola Tinubu after the bill was reviewed upward from N27.5trn to N28.78trn.

“The budget we have now have the ministries, departments and agencies (MDA) and the government-owned enterprise budget.

“Around N2trn of the budget presented by the President is the government-owned enterprises budget. So, if Senator Ningi says there is a N25trn budget, yes, that is the MDA’s budget. It’s different from the government-owned enterprises budget whose budget was now added.

“It is factual that he says that but it doesn’t mean that we are running two concurrent budgets. There is a different conversation that those projects should be detailed. TETFUND should not just get an allocation. What are you spending money on? INEC is collecting huge chunk of funds but there is no public details about what the funds are used for.

“In the current budget, the National Assembly gave a very broad summary of its allocations but they are no detailed allocations on a granular level that everybody can understand.

“These are transparent issues and if you put all these together, that is around N3.5trn to N3.7trn. So, if that is what he (Ningi) wants to interrogate, that there are component of the budget where there are no breakdown, that is very factual,” he added

The Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, has denied being served with an impeachment notice from the state House of Assembly.

Recall that the Speaker of the assembly, Hon Blessing Agbebaku, during plenary on Monday, said the inability of the House to physically serve Shaibu led to a substituted service through an advertorial in the newspaper.

However, in a letter dated March 12, 2024, and addressed to the speaker, signed by his Personal Assistant, Charles Olubayo, the deputy governor said he was never served any letter let alone refusing to collect.

Shaibu asserted that he has been out of the state since March 3rd and therefore could not have been served as claimed during plenary.

The letter reads, “The Office of the Deputy Governor, Edo State wishes to draw your attention to the inaccuracies and misleading information that emanated from the plenary session of Monday, March 11, 2024, wherein Mr. Speaker directed that the impeachment notice be served on the deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu through newspaper publications The Nigeria Observer and other national dailies, “sequel to the refusal of the deputy governor to acknowledge the impeachment notice”.

“Mr. Speaker was quoted to have also stated at the said plenary that ‘the action became necessary because the deputy governor refused to acknowledge an earlier impeachment notice sent to him through the clerk of the House.’

“We wish to state categorically that: No impeachment notice was ever served on the Deputy Governor let alone refusing to acknowledge the impeachment notice.

“The deputy governor has since March 3, 2024 travelled out of Benin to Abuja and has not returned to Benin since the said March 3, 2024.

“The clerk never saw the deputy governor whether in the office, at home or anywhere for that matter since the said date; hence surprised that the House resolved to publish the impeachment notice in the Observer and other national dailies because ‘the deputy governor refused to acknowledge the earlier impeachment notice sent to him through the clerk of the House.’ One therefore wonders where the clerk or his appointee served him the impeachment notice and he refused to acknowledge it.

“That neither the Clerk nor any person sent impeachment notice to the Deputy Governor which he refused to acknowledge.

“It is therefore our prayer that Mr. Speaker corrects the impression created in the public as the outcome of yesterday’s plenary to avoid misrepresentation in this all-important matter.”