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Tag: Sen. Ali Ndume

  • Senate crisis: We have agreed on ceasefire – Sen. Ndume

    The former Senate Leader, Sen. Ali Ndume, on Friday said that the members of the 8th Senate have agreed to put aside their differences and work in harmony for the progress of Nigeria.

    He spoke with State House correspondents after leading the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for Taraba, Sani Danladi, to a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    While noting that Nigerians have been supportive of the National Assembly and expected so much from it, he regretted that the leadership crisis made the 8th Senate to perform below the expectations of Nigerians.

    He said “The legislative arm which is supposed to be interdependent was more or less independent and extensively antagonistic; and to some extent, you can say the leadership has been sabotaging the activities of the executive instead of cooperating with the executive to deliver the services Nigerians are expecting from us.

    “I am accusing specifically, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, not the leadership so to say; as I have said several times, we elected the Senate leader who turned out to be Senators’ President.

    “We have a leftover time of six months and we have agreed on ceasefire including the Senate President himself; that we put the interest of Nigerians first.

    “That was why when we resumed, we have been able to pass certain outstanding bills and we have agreed to work together; the interest of the nation first before party’s interest or any other individual’s interest.

    “Any breach in that agreement that we have, will also send us back to our trenches,’’ he added

    Speaking on the 2019 budget proposal, Ndume said that timely passage of the budget was important as it was one of the agreements the senators had.

    According to him, the budget belongs to Nigerians and Nigerians are expecting that the budget be passed as quickly as possible so that the content of the budget will be delivered to Nigerians.

    He said that anybody that tried to stand on the way of the budget would be seen as a saboteur to Nigerians.

    Ndume said that APC senators were fully in support of the budget because they had input in it.

    He said “It is a budget of continuity; it is a realistic budget. So we are not expecting any hiccup but as usual, the normal dragging will continue but we will resist it and make sure that we are sent to the National Assembly, that is to work for Nigerians comes first before any other interest.’’

    On the hue and cry over the appointment of Amina Zakari as head of its collation centre for the forthcoming presidential election, Ndume, said that her relationship with Buhari had nothing to do with her assigned role.

    He chided the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) saying the party had resorted to what he described as CCC.

    “PDP is now is concentrating on what I call the CCC instead of doing what is the right thing.

    `They are concentrating on complaining, criticising and contradicting themselves instead of campaigning.

    “We in the APC; we said it initially and we even have a manual of campaign and that is to discuss issues, ideals, integrity and things that will move this country forward but as usual is the main opponent now; that is what makes it easy for APC.

    “PDP ruled this country for 16 years; instead of giving Nigerians democracy; they were practicing Kleptocracy; and after Nigerians tasted three years of democracy now, they are struggling to take us back to the period of their kleptocratic governance and Nigerians will not accept that.

    “This election is going to be the choice of Nigerians; to choose either to go back to the government of Kleptocracy or continue with government of democracy,’’ he said.

    He also disclosed that he has been appointed the Director-General, Campaign, in the Presidential Campaign Council of the APC for the North-East.

    The senator said that with the candidacy of Danladi, a tasted and trusted candidate, APC would reclaim Taraba.

    He also expressed optimism that APC would also reclaim Gombe State in 2019 as the party accidentally lost the two states in the North-East in 2015.

  • Boko Haram: Court rules on Ndume’s no- case submission July 4

    Boko Haram: Court rules on Ndume’s no- case submission July 4

    The Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed July 4, to rule on a no-case-submission filed by Sen. Ali Ndume (APC-Borno),who is standing trial for allegedly sponsoring terrorism.

    The Federal Government arraigned Ndume in 2011 and re-arraigned him in 2013 on a four-count charge of allegedly sponsoring the Boko Haram sect.

    The offence according to the Federal Government, contravened Sections 3, 4 and 7 of the Terrorism Prevention Act 2011.

    Ndume , however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    When the matter was called on Tuesday for counsel to adopt their addresses, Mr Ricky Tarfa (SAN), counsel to Ndume , told Justice Gabriel Kolawole that the Federal Government had not established a prima facie case against his client.

    He also stated that the government was unable to link Ndume to the said crime.

    Tarfa maintained that the prosecution had failed to proof beyond reasonable doubt, the charges brought against him since Nov. 30,2011.

    He admitted that he had contact with the Boko Haram sect but that the contact was established when he was appointed into the Presidential Committee on Security Matters to negotiate for peace with the terrorist group.

    He said that the charges against him were unjust and unfair since he gave the former Vice President, Namadi Sambo and the then Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS), all the information he got from the sect.

    He also told the court that the charge of failure to disclose information on the workings of Boko Haram could not be sustained against him.

    “Clearly, from the totality of the evidence adduced by the prosecution, the ingredients of the charges have not been proved as required by law.

    “The analysis of the mobile phones seized from the defendant and subjected to forensic examination by the prosecution did not reveal any offence committed,” Tarfa said.

    He asked the court to strike out the charges against Ndume on the grounds that no prima facie case had been established against him to warrant him defending himself.

    On her part, the prosecuting counsel, Mrs Geraldine Okafor, urged the court to compel Ndume to open his defence on the grounds that government’s witnesses had effectively linked him to the crime.

    Okafor said that the charges against the senator had to do with the failure to disclose material information to security agents on Boko Haram and rendering support to the terrorist group.

    She said that Ndume, in his own statement tendered and admitted in court, confirmed that he had enormous information on Boko Haram, but refused to disclose the information to the government.

    According to her, credible evidences adduced by the prosecution witnesses have been corroborated by the defendant himself in the three statements he made to security agents.

    “His admission that he was a member of the Presidential Committee on Security Matters also corroborates the evidence of the prosecution that he had volumes of information on the terrorist group which he refused to give to the government.

    “The volume of information found on him was revealing and warranted his being charged to court.

    “The prosecution is not fishing for information but in law, the defendant has to offer information being a member of the Presidential Committee on Security Matters.

    “Let the point be made here that witnesses of the government have by one way or the other linked the charge against the defendant to him and this court, as an impartial court, should order the defendant to open his defence.

    “It is even in the interest of the defendant and justice that this case be heard on its merit, instead of upholding the no-case submission.”

    The judge fixed July 4 for ruling on the matter.

     

  • Protesters give Senate three days to recall Ndume

    Protesters give Senate three days to recall Ndume

    Some persons protesting the suspension of Sen Ali Ndume by the Senate on Tuesday gave the upper legislative chamber three days to recall him or face difficult times.

    The protesters, who included some Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), barricaded the main entrance to the National Assembly as early as 8:00 a.m., chorusing pro-Ndume songs.

    They displayed placards with different inscriptions such as “Ndume Again Insha Allah”, “Who is Afraid of Ibrahim Magu,” “Stop Undermining PMB”’ and “Saraki is a curse”.

    They called for the removal of President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, for suspending Ndume (Borno-APC) for six months.

    One of the leaders of the protesters, Mr Joseph Okwuama, told newsmen that if the lawmaker was not recalled, they would stage several protests across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for seven days.

    Okwuama, who is the National Coordinator, All Progressives Congress (APC) Movement, said the suspension of Ndume, who was also removed as Leader of the Senate late last year, was uncalled for.

    “We are talking about corruption in the country. As Nigerian youths, we have to work together in support of the anti-corruption war.

    “Corruption is not all about money. What the National Assembly did is corruption; the suspension of Ndume is corruption.

    “Ndume’s suspension did not follow due process. The man did not do anything.

    “We are giving the National Assembly three days and if they refuse, Nigerians will go to the streets of Abuja and protest for one week,” he said.

    Muhammad Tanko, who led indigenes of Borno South, Ndume’s constituency, to join others in the demonstration, said that the constituency could not afford not to have representation in the senate for six months.

    “The suspension of our senator for six months is illegal when the Constitution allows for the suspension of only 14 days.

    “Saraki must go. He knows what Ndume did for him before he became President,” Tanko said.

    A female protester, Mrs Naima Sale, wife of the Chairman, IDPs in Karama Jiji Camp in Abuja, said that the lawmaker had been of help to IDPs and should not be made to suffer for nothing.

    Ndume was suspended on Wednesday by the Senate for calling for the investigation of alleged fake customs papers in the importation of a vehicle for Saraki and certificate forgery against Sen. Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi).

    An online platform had accused Saraki of importing a Range Rover SUV without paying appropriate imports duty and attempting to clear the vehicle with falsified papers.

    Melaye was accused of falsely claiming to have graduated from Ahmadu Bello University.

    The senate dismissed both allegations and sanctioned Ndume by suspending him for six months for raising the alarm.

  • Senate tasks INEC on credible elections

    Senate tasks INEC on credible elections

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Sen. Ali Ndume, has challenged the commission to ensure that it conducted credible elections in 2019.

    He particularly called on the Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to surpass the achievements of his immediate predecessor, Prof. Atahiru Jega.

    Ndume gave the charged when the committee hosted INEC in a defence of its 2017 Budget on Thursday in Abuja.

    He said that the country could not return to the past when irregularities stalled elections across the country.

    According to him, the 2015 general elections conducted by Jega was globally acclaimed to be credible and the best of its kind in the history of the country.

    The chairman assured that the committee was willing to give the commission all the support it needed to ensure that the 2019 polls and beyond met expectations of Nigerians.

    Defending the commission’s budget, its chairman said that N45 billion had been budgeted for its activities in 2017.

    He said that N20.9 billion was earmarked for Personnel Cost during the year, explaining that the commission’s staff strength was over 16, 000.

    Yakubu added that N19 billion was budgeted for electoral matters as against N25 billion in 2016 because there would be only a few elections during the year.

    Due to some exigencies, the commission’s defence was adjourned till Tuesday to enable members of the committee acquaint themselves with details of the document.

  • Senate: Ndume accepts fate, concedes to Lawan

    Senate: Ndume accepts fate, concedes to Lawan

    The former Majority Leader, Sen. Ali Ndume has accepted his removal from the position, which he assumed on June 9, 2015.

    Ndume accepted his fate in a point of order raised at plenary on Wednesday, a day after he was dramatically replaced by Sen. Ahmed Lawan(APC-Yobe).

    Ndume, who quoted Order 43, said that the senate was an institution that must be protected by law makers.

    He thanked his colleagues for the confidence reposed in him, while he served them as majority leader.

    According to him, the senate is an institution that must be protected through obedience to senate rules and the traditions.

    Ndume said that as a senator, he was not better than any of his colleagues, adding that they are all equal in the senate.

    He noted that he was not found wanting during his tenure as the senate leader of which he was grateful to God.

    “As far as I know, I have not done anything, and then just like that, the senate caucus has the right to say they have lost confidence in me.

    “To the best of my knowledge, I did not do anything. But as I said, since my colleagues, consciously, 40 of them signed. In fact, if the number of those that lost confidence in me is not up to this number, and I’m made to know, I will resign because I did not become a senate leader whose law makers have no confidence in.”

    “But as I said, since you have lost confidence in me , even if it is ten of you, then I have no moral ground to continue to lead this senate, because that means there are some people that are not with me.”

    Ndume, however, urged the APC caucus to give room to members who had erred for fair hearing.

    “Distinguished colleagues, henceforth if any of our colleagues errs in one way or the order, he should be given the chance to say, look this is what you did.Therefore, we have lost confidence in you.

    “I thank God that since there is nothing, I’m grateful for that.

    “ So I thank you for the opportunity given to me to have served as the senate leader and I wish Sen. Ahmed Lawan the best of service to this institution.

    In his remark, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over plenary noted that the services Ndume had rendered to the National Assembly could not be wished away.

    He urged him to continue to offer his services to the senate and people of his constituency.

    “We are conscious of your efforts in the North-east in the role you played in ensuring that the humanitarian crisis was been addressed.”

    “I congratulate you for the manner in which you accepted the true position of things and we assure that we will all continue to work harmoniously for the good of our country.”

  • NEMA cleared of complicity in alleged IDPs relief diversion

    NEMA cleared of complicity in alleged IDPs relief diversion

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Tuesday, was cleared by the Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Ali Ndume of complicity in the alleged diversion of relief materials meant for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in North-East.

    Ndume told journalists in Yola that the Senate could not found any evidence of diversion against the NEMA officials.

    “No NEMA members of staff was involved in diversion or stealing of any relief items meant for the IDPs,’’ Ndume said.

    He said that the allegation of diversion of relief materials meant for the IDPs in Borno and Yobe was raised by him, adding that the contractor involved was the suspect.

    The senate leader said that the contractor had been invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for interrogation.

    “I personally raised the allegation of the said diversion of the relief materials meant for our people (IDPs) living in various camps across the North-East region.

    “What actually happened is that grains were ordered from strategic national grains reserves.

    “It was awarded to a contractor to transport, but along the line, some got missing. The contractor is now before the EFCC,” he said.

    Ndume, who visited some IDPs camps in Yola, said that strong commitment of the government was to shut the camps and return the IDPs back home.

    He explained that all the IDPs camps visited were ready to be shut down as all people in various camps had shown enthusiasm to return to their homes.

    Also, during the visit, Gov. Muhammadu Jibrillah of Adamawa, said he would join hands with the Borno and Yobe Governments to evacuate the remaining IDPs back home.

    Jibrillah said, now that relative peace had returned to most areas, his government would support any move to evacuate the IDPs back home.

    He lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for his concerted efforts in reconstructing those areas destroyed by the insurgents.