Former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has taken a swipe at Senate President, Bukola Saraki, calling him as a ‘Senators President’ who is forcibly leading the senate.
Ndume who made the remarks during an interview session on Channels TV [Hard Copy] on Friday, said once an individual thinks he knows it all, he will always get it wrong, the senate has been hijacked and now looks like a senate owned by Dino and Saraki.
He added, “Saraki has only one senatorial district and so do every other senators, and if you look at what happened to senators, Abdullahi Adamu; Ovie Omo-Agege and myself, then you will know what I am talking about.”
He alleged that once any senator disagrees with Saraki, then the person will be treated below others and attacked by the leadership of the senate.
“Once you are not on his side, you won’t be allowed to be part of any of the committees. I have no grouse against him, I believe that God has destined me to be Senate leader just for one and half years and he [Saraki] only took an advantage of it.
“I have been accused of being a sponsor of Boko Haram insurgents, I went through court for six years under the leadership of David Mark and nothing happened.
“It is only unfortunate now that, the senate under leadership of Bukola Saraki is one-sided, why would you invite the Inspector General of Police just because of one lawmaker, Dino Melaye.” He lamented.
Recall that the Senate on March 29, 2017, suspended Ndume for six months for not “conducting due diligence” before filing a petition against the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki; and the lawmaker representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Dino Melaye.
Ndume was suspended “for bringing Senator Dino Melaye, his colleague, and the institution of the Senate to unbearable disrepute.”
The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions made the recommendation in its report, which was adopted by the lawmakers.
The panel had recommended that the lawmaker be suspended for one year but some senators pleaded that the punishment be reduced to six months, which was unanimously approved.
The former Majority Leader of the Senate, Ali Ndume, resumed from suspension in September 2016 as the National Assembly.