Drama in Senate as Ndume resumes

Former Senate Leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume, resumed sitting yesterday after serving out 90 legislative days of suspension creating a drama in the chamber.

Few minutes after the session was called to order and drawing attention to Senate Standing rule, Ndume recalled the sudden death of Senator Isiaka Adeleke (Osun West)

Ndume who told his colleagues that he used to call Adeleke his “landlord” in the chamber prayed the Senate to observe a minute silence in his honour.

Not done, he also recalled the recently signed North East Development Commission Act.

According to him, the Bill that led to the Act, was spearheaded by him and Senator Kabiru Gaya to address the humanitarian crisis created by the activities of Boko Haram in the North East geo-political zone.

He thanked his colleagues for ensuring speedy passage of the Bill just as he expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for appreciating the necessity to sign the Bill into law in record time.

While Ndume was marshaling his points, Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) was gesturing at the back ground to raise another point of order.

It was not clear what Melaye (Kogi West) wanted to say but Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, who might have sensed trouble, did not recognise him.

When Ndume was done, Saraki simple ruled that “the points made by Ndume are noted” and quickly moved on to other legislative matters listed for the day.

Ndume thereafter left the chamber for the Senate Press Center where he told journalists that he challenged his suspension in court to seek clarification on the position of the law about the way and manner the Senate suspended him.