- There was a mild drama at the Senate when Senator Ali Ndume resumed 8 months after suspension
- The Senate had on March 30 suspended Ndume over allegation against Saraki and Melaye
- Saraki, however, rejected Ndume’s prayer to offer a minute silence for late Senator Isiaka Adeleke
The resumption of former Senate leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume on Wednesday, November 15, after serving out 90 legislative days of suspension did not go without drama.
The Nation reports that the drama played out when Ndume raised a point order apparently to announce his return to the chamber.
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NAIJ.com gathered that it was obvious that senators were wondering what the Borno south lawmaker wanted to say so soon after he was left off the hook.
Ndume surprised everybody in the chamber when he recalled the sudden death of Senator Isiaka Adeleke whom he said sat behind him in the chamber.
Ndume who told his colleagues that he used to call Adeleke his “landlord” in the chamber prayed the Senate to observe a minute silence in honour of late senator, quoting the Senate standing order 14(a, b and c).
He said: “Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, you know that I’ve been away for seven and half months and coming in today, we all know that in my absence, we lost distinguished Senator Isiaka Adeleke, who was sitting right behind me.
"I used to call him my landlord. I didn’t have the opportunity to pay my tribute, I want to appeal to this Senate to again stand for a minute silence and pray for the repose of his soul.”
Saraki in response, however, did not seek the leave of the Senate to either grant the prayer or not as is the usual practice.
Not done, Ndume also recalled the recently signed northeast development commission act.
The Bill that led to the Act, he said, was spearheaded by him and Senator Kabiru Gaya to address the humanitarian crisis created by the activities of Boko Haram in the north east geo-political zone.
He thanked his colleagues for ensuring speedy passage of the Bill and President Muhammadu Buhari for appreciating the necessity to sign the Bill into law in record time.
While Ndume was marshaling his points, Senator Dino Melaye was gesturing at the back ground to raise another point of order.
It was not clear what Melaye wanted to say but Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, who might have sensed trouble, did not recognise him.
When Ndume was done, Saraki simple ruled that “the points made by Ndume are noted” and quickly moved on to other legislative matters listed for the day.
Ndume had stirred the hornets’ nest when he asked the Senate to investigate public allegations of impropriety against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and another senator, Dino Melaye.
Following recommendations by the ethics and privileges committee, the Senate on March 30 suspended Ndume.
The former Senate majority leader resumed on Wednesday, November 15, following the conclusion of his suspension.
Earlier last week, a court nullified his suspension and ordered payment of all his entitlements for the period.
At a press briefing, Ndume said that he went to court to challenge his suspension to seek clarification on the position of the law about the way and manner the Senate suspended him.
The lawmaker said that he did not go to court for any personal benefit but to seek clarification in the interest of democracy.
He insisted that there was nothing personal about his suspension neither is he holding anybody responsible for his suspension.
He also said that he went to court to test the law in defence of democracy and reiterated that he does not begrudge anybody over his suspension.
He noted that the court had since declared his suspension as illegal, null, void and of no effect.
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Ndume who added that the Senate has signaled its intension to appeal the court ruling declared “we will watch how it goes.”
He said: “There was nothing about what happened. I did not see anything personal; I did not take anything personal. I don’t begrudge anybody but if there is anybody who took personal leave that to God.”
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously reported that the Nigerian Senate finally recalled its suspended former leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume after 8 months suspension.
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Source: Naija.ng
ROSY CREST
Wednesday 15 November 2017