Senate: Drama as Ndume resumes

From Fred Itua, Abuja

The return Ali Ndume, former Senate leader, yesterday, after serving out 90 legislative days of his suspension did not come without drama. The drama played out when Ndume raised a point of order to announce his return to the Red Chamber.

In his point of order, which centred on the sudden death of Senator Isiaka Adeleke (Osun West), whom he said sat behind him before his demise and who he would call “landlord” in the chamber, begged Senate to observe a minute silence in his honour.

Ndume further recalled the role he played in the recently signed North East Development Commission Act.

The Bill which led to the Act, he said, was spearheaded by him and Senator Kabiru Gaya, to address humanitarian crisis created by activities of Boko Haram in the North East.      

Ndume hailed his colleagues for ensuring speedy passage of the Bill and also, President Muhammadu Buhari, for signing it into law in record time.

While Ndume was still speaking, Senator Dino Melaye kept interrupting him in the background and tried to raise another point of order. It was not clear what Melaye wanted to say, but he was ignored by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

When Ndume was done with his motion, Saraki simply ruled that “the points made by Ndume are noted” and moved on to other legislative matters listed for the day’s legislative business.

Thereafter, at a press conference, Ndume explained to newsmen he went to court to challenge his suspension in order to seek clarification on the position of the law about the way and manner Senate suspended him.

The lawmaker said he did not go to court for any personal benefit but to seek clarification in the interest of democracy and insisted that there was nothing personal about his suspension neither does he hold anybody responsible for his suspension.

Ndume also said he went to court to test the law, in defence of democracy, and reiterated that he does not begrudge any body over the suspension.

The former Senate leader added that the chamber has made its intention to appeal the court ruling known and declared “we will watch how it goes.”