Senator Dino Melaye, representing Kogi west senatorial district, has assured Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno south, that Senate President, Bukola Saraki will reduce his punishment if he apologize.
Recall that on thursday, the senate resolved to suspend Ndume for 6 months grounded on the recommendation of its Ethics and Privileges Committee.
The committee made the recommendation after Saraki and Melaye were cleared of allegations drawn against them.
The Borno South senator had earlier moved a motion for his colleagues to be investigated, arguing that the reputation of the senate should be protected and that the allegations levelled against them could tarnish the image of the house.
While Saraki was accused of abuse of privilege for harassing Col. Hameed Ali, Comptroller-General of Customs, because the commission seized a vehicle that belongs to him, Melaye was accused of forgery of his bachelors degree certificate from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.
Both men refuted the allegations, Melaye was cleared by the Vice Chancellor of ABU, while Saraki denied the ownership of the vehicle.
Melaye said, while speaking on Friday, March 31, 2017, as a guest on a Channels TV's programme, Politics Today, Ndume was never a victim of witch-hunt.
Melaye said: “Senator Ndume is an experienced legislator, having been in the house of representatives for two terms, and this being his second term in the senate.
“I didn’t prophecy that he would be suspended, or did Bukola Saraki, who was wrongly accused. We are not the ones who make up the senate. Ndume should understand the workings of the National Assembly. The senate is made up of 109 members.
“So, the decision to suspend Ndume was not that of Saraki or myself, but the decision of the Nigerian senate after investigation by the relevant committees… We have a very responsible senate president, a very compassionate Nigerian who does not believe in witch-hunting.
“Already, there is a lot of pressure, and people are appealing to the person of Bukola Saraki, and I can say on good authority that if Saraki had presided over Ndume’s case, he may not have been suspended because the senate president is a compassionate character.
"So, if Ndume shows remorse, apologise to the senate, the Bukola Saraki that I know will persuade members to either reduce his punishment or forgive him.”
Melaye further disagreed with people who said Ndume was not given a fair hearing.
He said: “The senate has the capacity to suspend any erring senator, but what we are saying here is very clear, due process was followed.
“Ali Ndume was given fair hearing. He appeared before the committee, he defended himself before the committee gave that recommendation, which was ratified by the entire senate.”
Melaye failed to answer questions surrounding his certificate controversy from LSE and Harvard University.
“Even a mechanic or a plumber who undergoes apprenticeship is given a certificate… he graduates from his training.
“Anyone who attends a particular institution and is given a certificate that he attended the programme, whether it is diploma, a degree or PhD, as long as you have been given a certificate, you are a graduate of that institution because you carry a certificate of that institution.
“I am not going to be distracted.
“What the lawyers and many others who have been insulting and assaulting the senate fail to understand is that they are not senators.
“They are not part of our decision making. They do not know the debates that led to resolutions and opinions of the senate.
“So, they can only blab from outside… Unfortunately, they cannot influence or destroy whatever we have done. If they want to understand how resolutions are reached or understand the workings of the senate, they would have to contest election and come into the senate. Some have been speaking from the point of ignorance," He added.
 |
| Ali Ndume |
The committee made the recommendation after Saraki and Melaye were cleared of allegations drawn against them.
The Borno South senator had earlier moved a motion for his colleagues to be investigated, arguing that the reputation of the senate should be protected and that the allegations levelled against them could tarnish the image of the house.
While Saraki was accused of abuse of privilege for harassing Col. Hameed Ali, Comptroller-General of Customs, because the commission seized a vehicle that belongs to him, Melaye was accused of forgery of his bachelors degree certificate from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.
Both men refuted the allegations, Melaye was cleared by the Vice Chancellor of ABU, while Saraki denied the ownership of the vehicle.
Melaye said, while speaking on Friday, March 31, 2017, as a guest on a Channels TV's programme, Politics Today, Ndume was never a victim of witch-hunt.
Melaye said: “Senator Ndume is an experienced legislator, having been in the house of representatives for two terms, and this being his second term in the senate.
“I didn’t prophecy that he would be suspended, or did Bukola Saraki, who was wrongly accused. We are not the ones who make up the senate. Ndume should understand the workings of the National Assembly. The senate is made up of 109 members.
“So, the decision to suspend Ndume was not that of Saraki or myself, but the decision of the Nigerian senate after investigation by the relevant committees… We have a very responsible senate president, a very compassionate Nigerian who does not believe in witch-hunting.
“Already, there is a lot of pressure, and people are appealing to the person of Bukola Saraki, and I can say on good authority that if Saraki had presided over Ndume’s case, he may not have been suspended because the senate president is a compassionate character.
"So, if Ndume shows remorse, apologise to the senate, the Bukola Saraki that I know will persuade members to either reduce his punishment or forgive him.”
Melaye further disagreed with people who said Ndume was not given a fair hearing.
He said: “The senate has the capacity to suspend any erring senator, but what we are saying here is very clear, due process was followed.
“Ali Ndume was given fair hearing. He appeared before the committee, he defended himself before the committee gave that recommendation, which was ratified by the entire senate.”
Melaye failed to answer questions surrounding his certificate controversy from LSE and Harvard University.
“Even a mechanic or a plumber who undergoes apprenticeship is given a certificate… he graduates from his training.
“Anyone who attends a particular institution and is given a certificate that he attended the programme, whether it is diploma, a degree or PhD, as long as you have been given a certificate, you are a graduate of that institution because you carry a certificate of that institution.
“I am not going to be distracted.
“What the lawyers and many others who have been insulting and assaulting the senate fail to understand is that they are not senators.
“They are not part of our decision making. They do not know the debates that led to resolutions and opinions of the senate.
“So, they can only blab from outside… Unfortunately, they cannot influence or destroy whatever we have done. If they want to understand how resolutions are reached or understand the workings of the senate, they would have to contest election and come into the senate. Some have been speaking from the point of ignorance," He added.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the comment writers alone and does not reflect or represent the views of TFB News