The Senate has rejected a motion to punish former chief whip Ali Ndume for referring to lawmakers as “kleptomaniacs” in an interview.
On Wednesday, Senator Fasuyi Cyril of Ekiti North raised a point of order, and the move was denied.
Sen. Cyril had urged the Senate to punish Ndume for his comments.
However, when the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, called for a voice vote on whether to submit the case to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, it was unanimously rejected.
The Senate then adjourned into executive session.
The change comes after the Senate replaced Ndume with Tahir Munguno as Chief Whip.
The upper chamber voted unanimously to replace Sen. Ali Ndume after the President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, read a letter of complaint from the All Progressive Congress (APC) National Headquarters regarding the chief whip’s unbecoming utterances.
The Southern Borno Senator, who is noticeably absent today, has been critical of President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, the economic downturn, food scarcity, and the resulting security issue.
Ndume was not only removed as Chief Whip, but also from the Senate Committee on Appropriations, which he co-chaired as Vice Chairman.
He has been moved to Chair the Senate Committee on Tourism.