By Taiye Odewale
Abuja
The suspended former Senate Leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) yesterday lost out again in the Senate with his removal as Chairman, Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Ndume had, on January 26, this year, two weeks after his removal as Senate Leader, appointed as chairman, Committee on INEC by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, being a ranking senator.
But Saraki, while forwarding names of the 27 Resident Electoral Commissioners nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari to the Senate Committee on INEC for consideration, announced Senator Suleiman Nazif (APC, Bauchi South) as the new chairman of the Committee.
“Since committee on INEC in the Senate has no Chairman, Senator Suleiman Nazif you are now the Chairman,” he said.
He added by directing the committee to work on the Presidential request for confirmation of the REC nominees and submit report within two weeks to the Senate.
Ndume’s total removal as Chairman of the committee was made glaring with his replacement by Senator Nazif who was neither a vice-chairman to the committee under Ndume or member, but the chairman, Committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity.
Ndume was suspended by the Senate over allegations of purchase of SUV Range Rover vehicle with fake documents by the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, as well as the alleged certificate scandal against Senator Dino Melaye based on the recommendation by its committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.
Relying on Senate’s Standing Orders 14 and 15, which deal with the privileges of senators, Ndume had in the heat of media report of the alleged scandals, urged the Senate to thoroughly investigate them for the sake of its integrity .
