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| Ali Ndume |
Former Senate Leader Ali Ndume (APC-Borno South) has been recalled by the Upper Chamber after serving out his 90 legislative days suspension. Ndume is expected to resume Tuesday (today), according to a letter by Clerk to the Senate Nelson Ayewoh.
The Senate had on 30 March suspended Ndume for raising a matter that the red chamber investigates public allegations of impropriety against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and another senator, Dino Melaye.
The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, which investigated the matter, recommended that Ndume be suspended for one year for “bringing Melaye, his colleague, and the institution of the senate to unbearable disrepute.”
But Justice Babatunde Quadri of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had set aside the suspension on Friday. The court also ordered that the senator be paid all his outstanding salaries and allowances. However, the Senate said it would appeal against the ruling.
It said in a statement that ”For the records, the Senate had challenged the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to entertain the matter on several grounds, portions of which are outlined hereunder for the purpose of emphasis, as follows:
"That the Plaintiff wrongly joined several causes of action in his Originating Summons. "That an action for the enforcement of fundamental rights to fair hearing can only be brought against a court or a tribunal, established by law as held by the Supreme Court in several current cases, and not against Committee of a legislative body.
"That by the provisions of sections 3 and 30 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, the trial court lacked requisite jurisdiction to hear the suit of the Plaintiff. "The Senate’s argument is supported by various and current decisions of the apex court.”
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