The Senate has suspended former Majority Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, for drawing the attention of the lawmakers to the car purchase scandal and certificate saga involving Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and Senator Dino Melaye respectively.
The Senate took the decision against Ndume for not “conducting due diligence” before filing a petition which compelled Red Chamber to investigate Saraki and Dino.
The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, headed by Senator Samuel Anyanwu, made the recommendation in its report, which was considered by the lawmakers at the plenary on Wednesday.
The suspension which will last for six months, took effect immediately.
The panel had recommended that the lawmaker be suspended for one year but some senators pleaded for it to be reduced to six months.
Ndume had, on March 21, 2017, urged the Senate to investigate the allegations that an armoured Range Rover, reportedly belonging to Saraki, said to have cost N298m, but which the chamber later said cost $298,000, was seized by the Nigeria Customs Service.
The lawmaker also called on the upper chamber to investigate the certificate scandal involving Senator Dino Melaye.