From Iheanacho Nwosu,Abuja
The senate is waging battles on multiple fronts . The foes are both within and outside the chamber. From all indication the fight is unlikely to end anytime soon. Also uncertain is what the outcome will be. But what is not in doubt is that the gladiators involved are prepared for it.
The brouhaha over the insistence of the Senate that the Comptroller General of Customs, Col Hameed Ali should appear before it in Customs’ uniform to defend the agency’s new duty policy on imported imported vehicles enlarged the senate’s list of foes.
Before now, prominent officials of government at war with the Red chamber include Secretary to Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu and Chairman Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar.
However, while the ding dong struggle between retired Col Ali and the Senate generated huge buzz last week, the inveigh against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Committee Chairman on Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Dino Melaye by former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume commanded huge attention.
The latter had raised a motion seeking the investigation of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Dino Melaye, over the face-off with the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) and certificate forgery allegation leveled against Melaye, respectively.
Ndume, who came under a motion of national importance, submitted that there was need to investigation an online story that Saraki sanctioned the summon of Ali over claims that his bullet proof Ranger Rover Sport was impounded on the orders of Ali.
On the part of Melaye, Ndume said that an online platform published a story that the Kogi State born Senator did not obtain a degree in Geography from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria as claimed.
Ndume hinged his call for the probe of the duo on past experiences. He recalled that former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Salisu Buhari, was accused of certificate forgery and he was made to face an investigation.
During the reign of Adolphus Wabara as Senate helmsman, he said he was accused of engaging in financial indiscretion and the former senate boss, according to Ndume, cleared his name.
He recalled that the current Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari, as Speaker of the House of Representatives, was accused of certificate forgery, but went ahead and cleared his name.
His last reference was made to Dimeji Bankole, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives. He said he was accused of not writing his Senior Secondary School Examination. Again, Ndume said he cleared his name.
Ndume said: “This matter borders on our privileges. One has to do with Senator Bukola Saraki, the Senate President and it was reported in a paper, I have it here. The newspaper said the Senate is on vengeance after Nigeria Customs seized Senator Saraki’s bullet proof Range Rover over fake documents.
“My colleagues that are following events, particularly online, have seen or heard or read the rein of abuses on this Senate and the misconception of the fact that we invited the Customs boss based on a very unpopular policy that affects the people we represent, but now we are faced with this.
“During the 4th Assembly, Salisu Buhari was accused of certificate forgery. He was investigated and determined after that. In the 5th Assembly, Bello Masari was accused of certificate forgery (secondary school). He was investigated and was cleared.
“In the 6th Senate, Dimeji Bankole was accused of not having NYSC certificate, it was investigated and he showed his NYSC certificate.
“Now, that brings me to the second matter in the National Assembly. In the 4th Assembly, Senate President, Adolphus Wabara was accused of collecting a bribe and it was investigated and determined. So, a lot of precedence has been set.
“Now, the second matter of privileges affects my colleague Dino Melaye and it is in the paper today. Therefore, accordingly, I will appeal we refer the matter to Ethics and Privileges to investigate so that our colleagues would be cleared and this senate will stand as it supposed to.”
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu who presided over the plenary acceded to Ndume’s prayers that the allegations be investigated. He asked the Senate Ethics Committee to unravel the veracity or otherwise of the claims.
Before the ethics Committee would commence its assignment, Saraki’s office stepped out to defend him on the allegation.
A statement signed by Saraki’s Senior Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu, exonerated the Senate President from the importation of the bulletproof vehicle.
Olaniyonu, stated that the allegation raised by Senator Ali Ndume linking Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki to the importation of vehicle lacks basis as it was outright falsehood.
The statement read “A supplier was engaged by the Senate to supply a vehicle. While transferring the vehicle between Lagos and Abuja, it was impounded by the Customs. We believe that is an issue between the supplier and the Customs because the Senate has not taken delivery. So, why is somebody trying to drag in the name of Saraki into the issue?
“The documents on the vehicle are there for the general public to view and make their conclusions. Now that the matter has been referred to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, all the facts will be out”.
Ndume’s motion has elicited widespread accolades from the camp of Ali and other top government officials who are up in gloves against the Senate. But it has been subjected to diverse interpretation from many Nigerians. Some are of the opinion that the former senate leader is on a vengeance mission.
“I don’t have any problem with the motion by Ndume, he wants a clarification of some knotty issues. But his intervention seems to many Nigerians, like someone on a vengeance mission”, Dr Olufemi Pius, a university don said.
“He appears desperate to get a pound of flesh from Saraki and co for plotting and executing his removal as senate leader. Any discerning Nigerian knows that he is fighting back”, the lecturer further said.
Ndume is aware such allegation is flying around and quickly denied it. He told an Abuja based newspapers “Are you saying I should not have raised the issue? It was in the public domain, and it is in the Senate tradition by Rule 14 and 15. There were precedents that were investigated. In the history of National Assembly, Salisu Buhari’s case came in the media too that he did not graduate from the University of Toronto Canada and was investigated. When it was discovered he did not have the degree, he stepped down and was prosecuted and sentenced before he was pardoned by former President Obasanjo.
“During the Fifth Assembly, Masari as Speaker was investigated over his certificate and cleared. Bankole was accused of not observing the NYSC and he was investigated. He produced his certificate and we verified it. Also, there was the Patricia Etteh case, and she had to clear herself.
“In the Senate, Enwerem had difference of ‘S’ controversy in his certificate as in Evan and Evans, he was investigated and when it was discovered that there were discrepancies, he resigned. Chuba Okadigbo was investigated too and he lost his seat. Adolphus Wabara was accused of corruption and investigated. Even David Mark was accused and investigated and cleared. If you observe, the rate of abuses thrown at the Senate has reduced since I raised the issue”.
Although Ndume’s defence can hardly be faulted, his recent past contributions on critical issues clearly suggest the existence of a rift with the Senate leadership. Prior to and after he was ousted as senate leader, he has openly clashed with the senate on key issues.
For instance, when the chamber rejected a $29.9 billion loan request sent to it by President Muhammadu Buhari, Ndume’s stand was at variance with the chamber. He visited the presidential villa, where he held series of meetings with top government officials on how he can prevail on the Senate to rescind its decision on the budget issue.
This move was not taken kindly by Saraki and his loyalists. He was reportedly cautioned.
But another provocative step was to be taken few weeks after. That was in the matter relating to the rejection of President Muhammadu Buhari’s request that Ibrahim Magu, the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) be confirmed by the Senate.
A day after the Senate took the decision; Ndume told State House correspondents that the Senate was yet to take a position on Magu. This stance set him against the chamber.
Senate’s spokesman Abdullahi Sabi had to counter Ndume’s claims.
In February, Ndume faulted the secrecy associated with the budget of the Senate. He noted that lawmakers were not privy to the contents of Senate budget and called on Saraki who doubles as chairman of the National Assembly, to make it public.
He said: “We are here to pass the budget without seeing the details. This is a government of change and this must change. The details of the budget report should be considered holistically. Last year, we had several issues with the budget. In fact to some extent, it was very embarrassing.
“Some of us do not know what was is in the budget because the details of the budget have never been provided and this should be done this year. The budget of the Senate is not known to Senators. It should be known this year and this is very important because we cannot be taking blames or hold credit for what we do not know.”
Since his removal as Senate Leader, Ndume has been fighting to get his pound of flesh, particularly from Saraki who he seems to believe covertly sanctioned his removal and Melaye who executed the deal.
The decision to oust him had the drippings of politics. It was clear Saraki and the APC caucus in the chamber did the bidding of the leadership of the party and arguably the presidency. They never pretended that it was Ahmed Lawan they preferred. So it was not surprising that virtually all the entire caucus endorsed Ndume’s removal and replacement with Lawan . To some, Ndume’s comments and seeming fight against the leadership of the senate are not befuddling. Pius argued “He wants to be the good boy of the executive in the senate. He has looked at the gap that exists between the senate leadership and the presidency and he wants to fill it. He is only playing smart politics.
“He may also have some political battles that he feels his closeness with the presidency and key political actors on the executive side can help him handle “, the don added.
The consternation that has trailed Ndume’s belligerence against Saraki in recent weeks is born out of the fact that the same man stood and defended the Senate President when the latter was under intense political heat. If he said he had nothing against the Senate boss and is not waging a vengeance war, how come that he has been churning out trenchant comments against the same senate he defended profusely when he held sway as Senate leader?
Not a few are waiting to get an answer to the question. Not a few also want to know if the bullet proof vehicle imported belong to Saraki or was imported by the National Assembly management, as claimed.