By Umar Sanda Mohammed
Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, representing the good people Sourthern Borno Senatorial District, is no doubt one of the outspoken and vivacious senator to emerge ever among the Senators of the 8th National Assembly. He was and still is one of the fore runners and a major contributer to debate and proceedings in the National Assembly.
His outspoken character and nature has endeared him to not only the people of Southern part Borno where he came from, but of course entire people of Borno state. Borno people are absolutely satisfied with his performance so far in the National Assembly.
However, the dramatic episode of the last Wednesday, during the Senate screening of the Ag, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFFC), Ibrahim Magu Mustapha to serve as substantive chairman of the commission was turn down by the Senate due to what they considered as “security report” or “integrity test” which the nominee was said to have”failed .to scale through”. From what i observed during the screening excercise, apparently was that, the senators must have had their hidden agenda and of course must have had a get together before coming into the senate chamber. One doesnt need to be told that, that day majority of the senators seeme to have prepared a written questions for the nominees with a lot of conspiracy attached to it. The action of the senators that day remanded me of an interesting course taught in Sociology “critical issue in Nigerian orgarnization”.
Alas! the first time , Ibrahim Magu appeared before the senate, it was senator Ali Ndume who then was the leader of the Senate and incidently also happened to have came from the same state with Ibrahim Magu, ordinarily he was the right person first to support and market the candidature of the Ag. Chairman to other senators to support him to scale the screening, if one likes lobby or in the real sense of politics conversed for the support of other senators.
That was exactly what senator Ndume did with all sense of love and passion. Not knowing to him that majority of the senators have issues with EFCC as an institution, and knowing fully well the no nonses attitude of the Ag. Chairman of the EFCC, they will never allow him to scale through, if they allow Magu to finally pass the screening to becomec a substantive chairman of the EFCC, is to say the least is akin to digging thier graves. Unfortunately for Senator Ali Ndume, who was pursuing the issue of Magu with all sense of conviction and passion, and ironically also not knowing to him that he was digging his grave for impechement without a cogent reason, which ultimately the senators proved in affirmative.
The issue of National interest remains secondary and theoretical for the senators. Their interest is first before any other interest. If one hundred of Magu’s will still re appear before the 8 senate they will still turn them back. If they can sacrificed one of them (Sen Ali Ndume) just to serve their individual interest, I don’t think they can stop in dealing decisively with Ibrahim Magu.
Therefore, sympathized with senator Mohammed Ali Ndume
So far, I now know, the reason why the former leader of the Senate was removed from office without any reason or justification! Once senator Nduma was qouted as saying that “if he was accussed of sponsoring boko haram and the senate president is still going to court for fulsification of information and many other senators were and still are alledged to have case with EFFC, and if they would still seat and preside over legislation in Nigeria…” I think you guest is as good as mine!
Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume deserve our support for being a true Nigerian who can sacrifice his interest for the interest of Nigeria. May Allah save this country from bad leaders..
The Update 24 