Reacting publicly for the first time to his suspension from the
Senate, the lawmaker representing Borno South, Senator Mohammed Ali
Ndume, has revealed that his travail at the upper chamber was sparked by
his support for the ideals and policies of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The
lawmaker, who added that he was handed a six-month suspension for
speaking the truth, vowed on Sunday that he would not tapologise to the
Senate President, Bukola Saraki, in order to get reinstated.
The
lawmaker representing Borno south, Ali Ndume, has stated that he would
not apologise to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, in order to get
reinstated, following his suspension by the upper chamber of the
National Assembly.
Ndume was slammed with the suspension by the
Senate after he had requested the upper legislative house to investigate
online media report that accused Saraki, and a fellow senator, Dino
Melaye, of wrongdoings, to the extent that the the allegations against
the two breached his privileges as a Senator.
The report by Sahara
Reporters had accused the Senate President of using fake Customs papers
to import an official vehicle while Melaye was accused of lying that he
graduated from the Ahmadu Bello University.
But after
investigations into the matter by the Senate committee on Public
Petitions and Ethics, the lawmakers were cleared of the charges, as
Ndume was accused of raising a false alarm without first of all
verifying the report. This culminated in his suspension.
Shortly
after it was reported that Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state had
met with Saraki trying to persuade him to reverse Ndume’s suspension,
the Senate President told newsmen that he alone cannot make that
possible, adding that it is the decision of the Senate.
But
addressing a crowd of supporters who turned out to receive him when he
visited his constituency, the Senator insisted that he does not regret
the actions that led to his earlier removal as Senate Leader and his
recent suspension.
He pointed out that his suspension was because
of his insistence on doing the right thing, arguing that it was not just
because of his call for the investigation of his colleagues as widely
believed in some quarters.
Ndume, who was at Shani, Biu, Bayo and
Kwaya Kusar local government areas of Borno state where he was received
by politicians and monarchs, reasoned that if his suspension was based
on corruption or abuse of office, he would not have been well received
by his people.
He however, assured that though he is on
suspension, he would continue to work for his people, particularly in
the area of execution of constituency projects.
While speaking at
the palace of the Emir of Biu, Umar Aliyu, the senator said: “Your Royal
Highness, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, it took us hours to
squeeze through the crowd of supporters to get to this place. And this
gives me the greatest joy because my people still appreciate me.
“I
will not remain a Senator for the rest of my life; but for the time I
serve as the representative of my people, I shall continue to do and
tell the truth. I know if I had erred, I would not have been received
here. But I enjoy the support of my people because they know my
suspension was because I spoke the truth.
“I know those that
suspended me are going now regretting their actions because of the
massive protest that trailed my illegal suspension. After seeing the
support that I enjoy from Nigerians, the same people that suspended me
came to say I should tender an apology so that my suspension could be
lifted. But I said no to that because I did not commit any offence in
the first place.
“They later came to say the Senate President,
Senator Melaye and I should go and reconcile our difference; and I told
them that I had no issue with either of them, so there is nothing to
reconcile – as far as I am concerned we have a good working
relationship.
“But I thank the Governor of Borno State, and Your
Royal Highness, the Emir of Biu, and all those that sent emissaries in
seeking to ensure that this issue is resolved. We are still talking, but
I know I had not committed any offence.”
Ndume continued: “My
religion enjoins me to always stand on the path of truth even if I turn
around and found that everyone has deserted me.
“Firstly, I know
my trouble with them started because of my support for the policies and
ideals of President Muhammadu Buhari. Secondly, when Ibrahim Magu’s name
was brought to the Senate as nominee for the Chairmanship of EFCC, some
group in the senate insisted that he would not be cleared. And in my
position as the then Senate Majority leader, it was incumbent upon me to
support any nominee sent in by the Executive. Besides that, the same
nominee is from my state, Borno; besides, he had committed no offence to
be denied the senate clearance.
“Above all, the majority of Nigerians loved him because he is doing the job well even as an acting chairman of EFCC.
“Thirdly,
when he was brought in for screening and it was not successful, I took
courage to tell them that they were acting out of the Senate order.
“And
lastly, my position on the allegation levelled on the Senate President
as well as the issue of Senator Dino’s certificate by a news medium was
the final straw they needed to break the camel’s back.
“But Your
Royal Highness, it is incumbent upon we the Senators, under Order 14-15
that if there is any issue or development or any action that tends to
rubbish the integrity of the Senate, we stand up to ensure that we
defend the name of the Senate. All I asked for was to investigate an
allegation published in a news medium against two of our colleagues.
“The
President of the Senate has all the powers to rule me out of order if
he felt that the issues I raised were not welcomed on the floor of the
Senate. But because they had always wanted to crucify me, they seized
the moment to unleash their built-up angst against me. So, they gave a
dog to hang me. And they did that when majority of the senators were not
on seat.
“I thank God this turned out good to me, because it made me know how much love I enjoy from Nigerians.”
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