Senate sets fresh hurdles for Ndume’s resumption

Fresh facts have emerged that the suspended former Leader of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume, who was expected to resume next week, after serving out his six-month suspension, may be stopped by the Senate leadership, until November 14 or 15, 2017.

According to fresh information gathered by Ripples Nigeria, Ndume’s resumption will not take effect next week because of the two-month break the Senate just returned from.

It was learnt that the break will be subtracted from the six-month suspension handed over to Ndume, while other public holidays which occurred within the period, will also be excluded from the period under review.

Senate spokesman, Sabi Abdullahi, while briefing newsmen, said November 14th is the agreed resumption date for Ndume. He did not however reveal who took the decision and who approved it.

Read also: Saraki reshuffles Senate committees

But a source in the Senate has confided in Ripples Nigeria that if next Monday is declared a public holiday as a result of the October 1 Independence Day which is 30th of September, Ndume’s resumption date will be shifted to November 15th, as against the 14th.

It was learnt that Ndume’s resumption may be further delayed if the case he instituted against the Senate at a Federal High Court in Abuja is not withdrawn.

The source said the leadership of the Senate will continue to “shift the goalpost until Ndume withdraws the case against the Senate and show that he is sorry for wrongly accusing the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Dino Melaye.”

The lawmaker was suspended by the upper chamber on March 27, 2017, sequel to the adoption of the recommendations of its Committee on Ethic, Privileges and Public Petitions.

The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, led by Samuel Anyanwu, recommended that Ndume be suspended following the point of Order he raised that the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki was on a vengeance mission against the Comptroller- General of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Col.Hameed Ibrahim Ali (retd).

The Borno lawmaker in his point of Order called for investigation into the allegation by the Customs Service alleging that the Senate President refused to pay duty of N74m for a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) valued at N298m imported into the country by Saraki.

Ndume also called on the upper chamber to investigate another allegation of certificate forgery leveled against another lawmaker, Dino Melaye.

But the Ethics committee, which investigated both allegations, however cleared Senate President, Saraki and Senator Melaye of the Range Rover and Certificate scam.

Meanwhile, a new senator representing Rivers East Senatorial District, Mr. Andrew Igbonule Uchendu, was inaugurated yesterday.

A former member of the House of Representatives, Uchendu was inaugurated to take over from George Thompson Sekibo.

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu who presided during the plenary, inaugurated Uchendu. Senator Sekibo was sacked by the Court of Appeal two months ago.

With the inauguration of Uchendu, Rivers State now has two All Progressives Congress (APC) senators against one Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator.

By Ehisuan Odia…

 

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