Index to Nigerian Newspapers

It all started with Akpabio’s Wankan Tsarki

Nigerians are increasingly angry over the Senate's recent suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi, who has been accused of theft of over N3.7 trillion by his state indigenes. Ningi had petitions instituted against him since 2015, but managed to make it to the Senate. In 2018, he declared his intention to become a member of the APC leadership, which was granted 'wankan tsarki' to corrupt politicians. This led to the suspension of Ningi, who blew the whistle on the theft. The Senate and its leadership denied his charges, with some Senate members, opposition parties, political experts, civil society organizations, and the media calling for an investigation. Former President General Ibrahim Babangida advised the Senate leadership to investigate Ningi's claims rather than suspend him. However, Akpabio and his colleagues went ahead and suspended Ningi. The second villain of the piece is the Northern senators' forum, who were responsible for scrutinizing the budget and detecting the padding case. They chose to remain on Akpabio's side rather than stand for the North they were elected to represent. The deputy Senate president was also a case in point, but could not insist on an investigation before Ningi's suspension. Senator Ningi might be recalled soon, but he will have to apologize for whistle-blowing. He should challenge his suspension in court, as it was illegal and against the rules of the chamber. Godswill Akpabio, the Senate president, has several cases at the EFCC related to the theft of funds and has spoken about sharing money twice since becoming Senate president.

Aisha Umar Yusuf | Politics/Corruption | Daily Trust | Wednesday, March 20, 2024