Hundreds of Internally Displaced Persons and Borno State indigenes resident in Abuja on Tuesday stormed the main entrance into the National Assembly to protest against the suspension of former Majority Leader of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume.
The protesters said Ndume’s suspension was unfair, adding that the people of Borno South Senatorial District, which the lawmaker is representing had lost their voice with his suspension.
The main gate was shut against the protesters, forcing lawmakers, workers and others at the National Assembly to seek alternative entrances into the premises.
The Senate had on Wednesday suspended Ndume for six months for not “conducting due diligence” before filing a petition against the President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki; and lawmaker representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Senator Dino Melaye.
The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions made the recommendation in its report after conducting a probe into Ndume’s petition on March 21 that the lawmakers should investigate the allegation that an armoured Range Rover car worth N298m, but which the chamber later said cost $298,000, was seized by the Nigeria Customs Service and belonged to Saraki.
The lawmaker also called on the upper chamber of the National Assembly to investigate the certificate scandal involving Melaye.
Chairman, Southern Borno Global Initiatives, organisers of the protest, Mr. Musa Ali Gwoza, said Ndume’s suspension was “unlawful”.
He said, “I know some rules and regulations of the Senate and there must be a process of suspending any member. I don’t think, in his own case, they have done it democratically.”