Kenneth Udeh, Abuja
Following his removal as the Chief whip of the 10th senate Borno South Lawmaker Ali Ndume on Wednesday also escaped being suspended from the Red Chambers.
Ndume was stripped from his position and replaced with Borno North Lawmaker, Tahir Monguno.
The Senators took the decision over a statement Ndume made in recent interview in which he said that the president was not in the picture of what is happening outside the Villa, alleging that the president has been sidelined and caged.
The Lawmakers via voice votes further relieved Ndume from his position as the Deputy Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation and announced that the Lawmaker will henceforth chair the Committee on Tourism.
Shortly after ratifying his ejection and replacement with his Borno state counterpart Senator Tahir Monguno from Borno North, a point of order was raised by Ekiti North Senator Fasuyi Cyril in which he called the attention of the Senators to a statement made by Ndume during the said interview in which he referred to the Lawmakers as “Cleptomaniacs”.
Cyril in his address urged the Senate to take punitive measures against Ndume over the said comment.
President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio subjected the motion into question before the Senators if the matter be referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions which was however rejected by majorly Pro Tinubu Senators and voted that punishment be metted immediately on Ndume.
The lawmakers went into the closed-door session at about 1:35 p.m. after the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, moved a motion to that effect.
At about 2:15 pm the Senate resumsd session and kept mum on Ndume’s matter. Akpabio in his comment said that the Lawmakers discussed issues of National importance during their closed session and proceeded with the business of the day.
