From: Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
Suspended Senator representing Borno South in the Senate, Sen. Mohammed Ali Ndume, has appealed to Nigerians to pay more attention on urging governments at all levels to deliver good governance rather than probing into the health condition of President Mohammed Buhari.
Ndume, in an interview with journalists, in Maiduguri, at the weekend, said President Buhari’s absence neither impacted negatively on the presidency nor affected governance in any way.
“Buhari is not Nigeria and Nigeria is not Buhari. The presidency is functioning and his absence is not affecting governance. So I see no reason why people should some people be calling for report of his health. I think we should rather be praying for his quick recovery and focus on asking governments address security, economy, workers wages among others. We have more issues to contend with in this country,” the senator said.
Speaking on the acquittance with Boko Haram sponsorship case brought against him by the Federal Government under former President Goodluck Jonathan last week at an Abuja High Court, Ndume said the court has vindicated him. He described the allegation of his connnection with Boko Haram as frivolous and tormentouos, saying he had never seen a case of such dragging for almost four years without a witness.
“I and late Sen Ahmed Zannah were marked for humiliation and silence because of our outspoksneness against the way the Jonathan government was handling the Boko Haram issue. They simply didn’t have evidence to prove my connection with Boko Haram. I have never seen any Boko Haram member before until I got to DSS detention but the DSS then said I spoke with Boko Haram 73 times. How possible is that?,” he queried.
He also decried the media reports at the time of the trial about him, describing them as judgmental. “They were very unfair. I thought the media ought to be biased and investigate the true position of the case but the media simply convicted even before the commencement of the trial. I was tried and convicted by the media which never made efforts to investigate what happened,” he said.
He declined to comment on his suspension by the Senate, saying he is only awaiting the expiration of the time for the suspension.
Sen. Ndume was suspended from the senate late May by his colleagues for calling for investigation of allegation of fake documents for the importation of vehicles by the Senate president, Sen Bukola Saraki and allegation of perjury against Sen Dino Menaye, Kogi West.