Real reason I left the Senate plenary – Ndume

After sparring with Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Tuesday’s plenary session, Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Ali Ndume gave an explanation of his decision to leave the Red Chamber on Wednesday.

In an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation’s Hausa Service, Ndume stated: “When Senator Kawu Sumaila filed a move on sealing the border between Nigeria and Niger, which he said was urgent, it was initially contended that the motion was not urgent.

But the Senate President allowed him to say what he had to say. After the motion was heard, it was decided that it should be suspended since it concerns security.

The Borno South senator said he tried to explain the significance of the move to the Red Chamber at that time but was turned down.

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“I would like to make it clear that the motion, notwithstanding its importance, is not within the purview of the Nigerian Senate.

“The President of Nigeria did not order the border to be closed; rather, it was done while he served as ECOWAS President. He is therefore qualified to speak up for us.

“The President of our country must be involved in order to handle this issue, but I was not given the chance to make this point.

The fact that this was taking place during a time of prayer prompted me to leave. As a result, my coworkers misinterpreted my departure, and the journalists altered the context of my departure,” he claimed.

Ndume continued by saying that after informing another senator that he was going to pray, he left.