Unveiled: How Senators Plotted The Suspension of Ali Ndume

Nigeria's Parliament today suspensed the former house leader of the Senate, Ali Ndume. But before his suspension, there was an ongoing plot in the Senate to suspend him. It was not unconnected to his motion that led to investigation against Senate President Bukola Saraki and Senator Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi West).

Ndume who was removed as Senate Leader in January, raised a point of order last week notifying the Senate of media reports alleging that the Senate was on vengeance against the Customs Comptroller-General, Hamid Ali over a seized SUV car allegedly belonging to Saraki.

He also said that there were reports that Senator Melaye possesses a fake Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria academic certificate.

A report by Daily Trust gathered that as a result of the allegations, Senators plotted to send Ndume away from the Senate.

A Senator who spoke Daily Trust said it would be difficult for Ndume to survive the plot. “We are not happy with him at all. He is on self destruction and it is the wish of many of us that he should be suspended,” a Senator said.

Another Senator said with the revelations at the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Ndume is on the verge of being suspended. “All the allegations he raised turned out to be false. There is no need for collation of signatures. It is just a voice vote that is required. His would be worse than that of Abdulmumini Jibrin (suspended at the House last year),” he said.

Ndume, when contacted by Daily Trust said he was aware of the plot to suspend him but that he is not perturbed saying “I’m aware of it but I’m not worried. Even when they were plotting to remove me as Senate Leader, I knew it but I wasn’t worried.”