Senate invasion: Ndume, Omo-Agege risk fresh suspension

There were fresh indications, at the weekend, that former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume and Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, risk fresh suspension slammed on them by the chamber, in the coming days.

The looming suspension is a fallout of the invasion of the Senate by some thugs, on April 18, who made away with the mace.

The mace is the symbol of authority of the parliament.

Following the invasion, Senate set up an Ad hoc committee, chaired by deputy senate Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah, to investigate the circumstances which led to the invasion.

A fortnight ago, the committee’s recommendations were forwarded to another senate panel on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, headed by senator Samuel Anyanwu.

The committee was mandated to work on the recommendations of Na’Allah’s committee and guide the senate on the line of action. Beyond the senate committee, another expanded joint probe panel was set up with the House of Representatives. Na’Allah also heads the same committee.

Already, some security agents who have appeared before the committee have indicted some senators who they claimed, connived with some top security echelons in the Senate to steal the mace.

Specifically, the Divisional Police Officer, Sulu-Gambari Abdul of the National Assembly, two weeks ago, accused some lawmakers of conspiring with thugs who invaded the Red Chamber and carted away the mace in April.
The police chief said the Senate invasion was an act of internal conspiracy among some security agencies and some lawmakers. He named Ali Ndume as one of the senators.

He told the probe panel that Ndume reportedly stopped one of the Sergeant-At-Arms who wanted to take the mace to a safe place when the thugs struck.

Ndume is yet to deny the indictment.

Regardless, Daily Sun gathered that the report of the Ethics panel, which may be submitted this week, will recommend the suspension of Ndume and Omo-Agege and some yet-to-be named co-conspirators in the upper legislative chamber.