Ndume confirms Ripples Nigeria’s exclusive, explains why he won’t apologise to Senate

The Immediate-past Leader of the Senate and suspended member representing Borno South Senatorial District, Senator Ali Ndume, has confirmed an exclusive story published by Ripples Nigeria.

Ndume who spoke to newsmen in Abuja on Sunday, said there were plans to tender an unreserved apology to his colleagues in the Red Chamber in order for him to be recalled.

In the exclusive story published by Ripples Nigeria, Ndume was reported to have ‎declined a request from the Senate to tender an unreserved apology to his colleagues, after which his suspension will be terminated.

Ndume told newsmen after an interactive session with thousands of his constituents in Abuja at the weekend that there was no moral basis to ask him to apologise.

According to him, he did not do anything wrong to have warranted his suspension in the first instance.

In late March, specifically on the 29th, he was hurriedly handed six months suspension, over claims that he breached Senate Rules when he drew the attention of the Red Chamber to an allegation of purchase of an exotic car for the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, with forged Customs papers, as well as the certificate forgery scandal against Senator Dino Melaye.

The Senate had then blamed him for not “conducting due diligence” before bringing the matter to the floor of the Upper Legislative Chamber.

Senator Ndume who has been in the National Assembly since 2003, however added that he is not averse to tendering apology where there is need to do so. “For now, there is nothing for me to apologise for,” he said.

He insisted that he did not offend the Standing Rules of the Senate. The leadership of the Senate, led by Saraki, was reported last week to have reached out to Ndume to apologise so as as to pave the way for his recall.

Read also: Defiant Ndume says he won’t apologize to Saraki, vows to serve out suspension

Ndume said: “The move for apology was made but I did not do any thing to warrant an apology. I have no problem with apology but you have to apologise for something you did.

“The issues I raised were put to rest after I raised them. The issue of importation of car was put to rest. The certificate issue was also put to rest. It was because I raised the issues. Perhaps if I did not raise them, the issues may have lingered. I did not do any thing so there is no basis for me to tender any apology.”

Ndume further stated that the resolution to investigate the issues he raised was not his, rather, that of the Senate.

“The whole thing will come and go. It will pass away. It is part of the challenge a politician go through. My challenge in the Senate now is temporary. It should not stop me from do what have been doing for my constituents. It is very temporary.

“I take my suspension in good faith. It will pass away. I am lucky to be in the Senate. Right now I am going through industrial attachment because one day I will leave the Senate. I don’t expect to die in the Senate,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Borno lawmaker has also appealed to the Federal Government not to yield to the pressure to evict Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from their Area One Camp in Abuja.

He said that he would take up the planned eviction of IDPs from their Area One Camp with the Minister of Interior to stop the plan.

According to him, IDPs are not sent packing without providing them a place of abode.

Ndume said that they have 12 IDP camps scattered in Abuja, while the current number stands at over 20,000. He asked the government to take up the issue of security at the camps especially at the Area One axis.

On the interactive session, he said that he uses the Ramadan fasting period to solidarise with his constituents as well as to give them some gift items. Ndume said that he encouraged his constituents from Gwoza West who wanted to go home to do so because the area had been made a little habitable.

He said that the situation is different in Gwoza East where there was still acute shortage of accommodation, water and other amenities.

‎Apparently to show Ndume’s popularity with his constituents, posters bearing “Ndume Again Insha Allah, Ndume Insha Allah” littered the venue of the occasion.

By Ehisuan Odia….

 

 

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