By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Nigerian Senate has suspended former leader of the Senate, Mr Ali Ndume from Borno State, for a period of six month.
Mr Ndume was suspended from the red chamber on Wednesday after the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges chaired by Mr Sam Anyanwu submitted its report today.
The Borno lawmaker was suspended after he raised a Point of Order last week calling attention of his colleagues to allegations of importing a vehicle worth over N290 million into the country without paying the right duty by the Senate President, Mr Buhari Saraki, and certificate forgery against Senator Dino Melaye.
The committee, which investigated the matter and cleared both Mr Saraki from Kwara State and Mr Melaye from Kogi State, recommended that Mr Ndume be suspended for one year.
However, the Deputy Senate President, Mr Ike Ekweremadu, pleaded with his colleagues to reduce the suspension to only six months.
“Lessons have been learnt from this, and going forward, we should investigate matters first before drawing conclusions,” Mr Ekweremadu said on the floor of the Senate.
Another lawmaker, Senator Barau, who spoke on the issue, said, “When we see anything against another Senator, we must bring it to the floor of the Senate before making hurtful statement.”
Also, Senator Mathew Uroghide pleaded with the Senate to reduce Mr Ndume’s suspension to six months
But Senator Yusuf Abubakar said as a first offender, Mr Ndume should be suspended from committee activities and not outright suspension.
However, after deliberations, the Senate suspended Mr Ndume for six months and said it starts from today.
Adedapo Adesanya