Budget debate: Ndume tackles Saraki for skipping his name
The former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South), yesterday protested the skipping of his name on the list for budget debate by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
Ndume was removed as the Senate Leader on January 10 when the Senate resumed from the Christmas/New Year recess.
His removal was at the instance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senate Caucus that named Senator Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe) as his replacement.
Raising a point of order at the middle of yesterday’s budget debate, Ndume said he wrote his name immediately after that of Senator Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi), on the register, but that Melaye had spoken while he (Ndume) was not called upon to talk.
Addressing Saraki, Ndume said, “You asked us to write our names on the register and mine was written below that of Melaye. He has spoken and I haven’t been called.
But in his response, Saraki said the list that mattered was the one with him.
“The list I have is the one that matters. I will call you at due time. The list that matters is the one with me,” he said.
Our correspondent reports that at 1. 04pm, Saraki called the name of Ndume but he was not on seat as the Borno senator had gone to the mosque at 12.50pm.
However, around 1.18pm, Saraki again called Ndume to speak and he spoke.