The Chief Whip of the Senate, Muhammed Ali Ndume, on Sunday, October 29, threw more light on the seeming frosty relations between him and the president of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio.
Ndume, spoke on the issue while answering a question as a guest on Channels Television, titled: “Sunday Politics”, monitored in Abuja by our correspondent.
He also justified the purchase of a Sports Utility Vehicle allegedly worth N160 million for each member of the 10th National Assembly, saying the vehicles are needed to facilitate the legislative functions of Senators and House of Representatives members.
The senator representing Borno South under the All Progressives Congress (APC) emphasized his superior experience in legislative matters compared to Akpabio.
He stated that his role involves holding the Senate president accountable for adherence to established legislative norms, and it is not the other way around when issues conflict with these norms.
Ndume recently walked out of a Senate plenary session after being ruled out of order for citing the wrong standing order to support his points of order.
The action caused a stir in the chamber and later led to the Senate going into an executive session. He later explained that he did not walk out but went out to say his prayers.
However, while responding to questions from the host of the programme, on his perceived grouse with Akpabio, Ndume said he cannot destroy the house he helped to build in reference to the role he played towards the emergence of Akpabio as Senate President.
Ndume said: “I don’t have a problem with Akpabio. My problem, maybe the way he handles the situation.
“What happened the last time I think was misunderstood or taken out of context.
“Don’t forget, I came here to campaign for Akpabio. I can’t build a house and destroy it, but I think the main problem is that I am more experienced than him and when I try to correct him, sometimes like that incident, he overruled me!
“You can’t overrule your Chief Whip! No. I am supposed to be the one to call him to order, not him.
“On that day, he was supposed to invite me and we would talk one-on-one but he took advantage of the gavel.”
On the alleged lingering plot to impeach Akpabio as President of the 10th Senate, he said: “I am hearing that but it isn’t new. But it isn’t likely to happen; I can tell you that.”
He explained why the National Assembly decided to purchase N160 million worth of SUVs for members.
He said: “We should look at the cost implication and the alternatives. For me, the issues that are being raised, the public has a right to do that, but for me, I come to serve and in serving the people, my major constitutional role is oversight, and making laws.
“If I have to do that, effectively, then I need a vehicle that will enable me to do that. That is the idea of buying the vehicles and over the years, the cost of the vehicles has gone up.”
Ndume insisted that the Peugeot 406 cars which was the vehicle given to the Senators during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime could no longer serve the purpose and that the lives of lawmakers were at risk.
“I think we lost two senators or so because of the instability of the vehicles. That was why we settled for Land Cruisers. But I don’t know the cost of the vehicles they are buying; that’s supposed to be the responsibility of the management.
“But it isn’t also new that. Public Servants, especially in the rank of Ministers and heads of parastatals, often buy vehicles. Yes, I understand that the cost is high but when you look at the cost-benefit analysis, you begin to wonder, what is it that is supposed to be done?
“Do you now say that no vehicles for the Senators because of the state of the economy?”
On his “Unexplained Wealth Bill”, Ndume urged President Bola Tinubu, to present an executive bill on the matter.
Speaking on the Bill, Ndume said: “I have tried several times but you know, the excuse here and there. I think the best way to get this across is when the bill comes from the executive.
“I think the current President should sign an executive bill on unexplained wealth. I have tried several times but you know, there were excuses here and there.
“I think the best way to get this across is when the bill comes from the executive or in the interim, the current president should sign an executive bill on unexplained wealth.
“I know of Civil Servants that live in houses that not only their income, their salaries, or their life pension – assuming they would live in this world for 90 years or 100 years- cannot buy.
“The same thing with some of our politicians, especially politically exposed persons like ministers, you find as you rightly said, some of them come to the National Assembly, and suddenly, there is so much money.”
