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Ndume cautions senators against embarrassing publicity

The Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Ali Ndume, has cautioned senators against embarrassing publications on senate matters on the pages of newspapers. Ndume said this when he raised a Point of Order at the Senate plenary in Abuja on Thursday. He expressed displeasure at a newspaper report alleging that 22 senators from the North were against…
Senator Ndume

Senator Ndume

The Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Ali Ndume, has cautioned senators against embarrassing publications on senate matters on the pages of newspapers.

Ndume said this when he raised a Point of Order at the Senate plenary in Abuja on Thursday.

He expressed displeasure at a newspaper report alleging that 22 senators from the North were against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Ndume argued that it was not proper for members to directly or indirectly portray the Senate in bad light.

According to him, such an act will go a long way to undermine the senators and the legislature.

Ndume urged all senators to bury their hatchets, stressing that everyone in the chamber was qualified to be the president of the senate or the deputy.

He, however, pointed out that only one person could occupy any of the positions at a particular time.

“The nation is watching and this drama cannot continue like that. Only one person can be the senate president and only one person can be the deputy senate president at a particular time.

“I personally still want to be senate president; I contested with the deputy senate president, I did not contest to lose that election but it is God that gives power to whoever he wants.

“Whatever happened on that day, my friend became the deputy senate president.
“I was the only person that attempted to impeach Sen. Ike Ekweremadu in the 7th Senate. I collected signatures and I attempted to impeach him,” he said.

Ndume said that the Deputy President of the Senate still remained his friend, noting that if 76 serving senators decided that he (Ndume) was unfit to be the senate president, he would have to leave the position.

Although, the President of the Senate Bukola Saraki ruled Ndume out of order, he referred the matter to the Committee on Ethics and Privileges to report back in one week.

Meanwhile, Sen. Thompson Sekibo, (PDP-Rivers East), also raised a point of order, arguing that the Chief of Defence Staff should not be made to appear for screening before the Senate.

He said that the constitution provided that the president might after consultation with the Chief of Defence Staff and subject to the approval of the Senate, appoint the Chiefs of Air, Army and Naval staff.

However, the president of the senate ruled him out of order, adding that the proposed screening of Service Chiefs would proceed as scheduled.

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