By Isaac Ologbosere

The  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded the resignation of the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to allow an independent investigation into the alleged padding of the 2024 budget to the tune of 3.7 trillion naira.

The budget padding allegation was raised by the Senator representing Bauchi Central, Abdul Ningi.

Ningi, in a media interview, claimed that while the budget passed by the National Assembly for the 2024 fiscal year was 25 trillion naira, the one being executed by the Presidency was 28.7 trillion naira.

However, at the plenary on Tuesday, the Senate took Ningi on to defend the allegation, at the end of which he was slammed with a three-month suspension for damaging the image of the Red Chamber over what senators decided was an unfounded allegation.

Reacting on Wednesday, the PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, expressed its support for the suspended senator.

The party strongly criticized the Senate leadership for suspending Ningi without conducting a thorough investigation into the matter of budget padding that he brought up.

The PDP described the suspension of Senator Ningi as a desperate move to suppress investigation, conceal, and sweep the facts under the carpet.