Senate suspends Ali Ndume for six months

For raising false allegations against Senate President Bukola Saraki and the chairman Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory, Dino Melaye, the Senate has suspended the former Senate Leader Ali Ndume for six months.
Ali was found guilty of bringing the institution to ‘unbearable disrepute’ by relying on an online report by Sahara Reporters that Melaye was using a fake result from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria and that the invitation of the Comptroller-General of Customs Hameed Ali was informed by the seizure of bullet proof Range Rover belonging to the Senate President, purportedly cleared with fake National Assembly documents.
His suspension followed consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions at Wednesday plenary.
Although the committee initially recommended his suspension for 181 legislative days, Peter Nwaoboshi moved a motion to reduce the suspension to six months.
By this development, Ndume’s suspension will last till September 28, 2017.
The report also cleared Saraki and Ndume of the allegations levelled against them.
Saraki had earlier stepped aside when the report was about to be considered, to pave the way for his deputy Ike Ekweremadu to preside over the session.
Recall that at the committee’s investigative hearing on Monday, the former Senate Leader failed to present any document to back up his allegations.
Presenting the report, chairman of the committee, Samuel Anyanwu, noted that the stories were cooked up to embarrass the Senate.
The report also observed that the lawmaker did not conduct due diligence before bringing the matter to the floor of the Senate.
“That as a former Senate Leader and a ranking Senator, he (Ndume) was expected to have weighed the consequences, of the allegation, carefully investigated it before presenting it.
“That having failed to cross-check facts before presentation at plenary, he (Ndume) could not be said to be a patriotic representative of the Senate, and should be penalized to serve as deterrent to others,” the report stated.
Seven out of 13 members of the committee signed the document. They include: Anyanwu, Obinna Ogba, Jeremiah Useni, Tayo Alasoadura, Peter Nwaoboshi, Matthew Urhoghide and Mao Ohuabunwa.
During the consideration of the report, Joshua Ledani (PDP, Gombe South) moved a motion that Ndume should simply be warned and made to apologise publicly to the two senators.
This motion was seconded by Ahmed Abubakar Moallayidi (APC, Adamawa Central) who said there was no reason to suspend Ndume in the first place.
When the question was put to voice vote, the motion failed.
Mattew Urhoghide (PDP, Edo South) then rose to propose an amendment to the original prayer of the report which recommended 181 days suspension.
He suggested that it should be reduced to six months suspension. The motion was seconded by Peter Nwaoboshi (PDP, Delta North) and it was approved by the Senate.
Nwaoboshi in seconding the motion explained that “Ndume is not just a first offender. We took a decision on the Secretary to the Government he went outside and maligned the Senate.
“We took the first decision when we came here in our executive session and I want the records to be put when the report of the DSS was read he rose here and started begging all of us that please we should send Magu back to the president, for president to take a decision on him.
“He was begging everybody here and out of respect for him as a Leader at that time this senate obliged him. After that he went out to malign the senate but he did not tell the public that he was the person who begged us and he even went further and said we should invite him and tell him why we cannot. He’s moving as a saint”.
Sources say Ndume’s suspension may not be unconnected with his alleged closeness to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Analysts say this would escalate the tension between the Presidency and the Senate.
On Tuesday, Senate suspended the confirmation of 27 Resident Electoral Commissioners of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for two weeks due to the President’s inability to sack Ibrahim Magu as EFCC boss.
Also on Wednesday, it summoned the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption for making disparaging comments against the institution.