Source: www.nan.ng
By: Hamza Suleiman
Senator Ali Ndume has denied allegation of slapping a member of the Borno House of Assembly, Bukar Daja-Ali, representing Damboa at a political gathering in Maiduguri.
Ndume who represents Borno central in the Senate told our correspondent on Friday in Maiduguri that the allegations were false.
The media was rife on Thursday with allegations that the senator slapped the member of the House of Assembly prompting the state lawmakers to suspend sitting for one month.
A statement issued by Hon Abdulkareem Lawan, Honourable Speaker, Borno State House of Assembly, alleged that the senator slapped their colleague at a political meeting.
According to the statement, the house, taking into consideration the wanton attacks on its members, including the attack on Hon. Mohammed Saleh Baga, made the following resolutions.
“All sponsors and those who attacked Saleh Baga should be arrested and arraigned before a court of law by security agencies,
“The Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Senate President are to investigate the action of Senator Ndume’s slapping and humiliation of Hon. Habu Dala Aji,
“The Kwaya-Kusar local council secretary should be relieved of her position as Secretary to the local Government.
“The Honourable House also resolve to suspend legislative activities for 1 month pending the outcome of the resolution passed,” it read.
However, speaking with our correspondent, Ndume described the allegation as “falsehood”, aimed at tarnishing his good name for mischievous reasons.
“Several people have been calling me saying they saw some news circulating in the media alleging that I slapped one Habu Dala-Aliyu.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I cannot remember meeting any member named Habu Dala-Aliyu, as erroneously circulating on the media. The purported writer forgot to spell Bukar Daja-Ali, the acclaimed member correctly.
“Honestly the member is not telling the truth, there was nothing like that. I never slapped anybody.
“What happened was that the member came to my house for a meeting along with some hoodlums who began pouring all sort of insult at me in front of everybody.
“I was going to meet the hoodlums to demand why they came to my house to insult me when the member tried to stop me.
“The only thing I did was to tell him not to touch me.
“I then angrily ask him why he came with people into my house to insult me after which i went inside my house,” Ndume said.
The senator said that the seeming altercation happened in the presence of all those who were in the house at the time, adding that he at no point slapped the lawmaker.
He also challenged the state assembly or anybody to provide evidence of his slapping the lawmaker.
“The hoodlums later came back to apologise after they realised their mistakes and I have forgiven them.
“I don’t know how the issue of slapping a member of a Borno State House of Assembly came from.
“I challenge him or any other person coming up with such claim to present any evidence that I slapped the lawmaker,” He said.
In 2014, Senator Ndume was also alleged to have slapped a state assembly member, Hon. Ahmed Jaha, a hitherto close ally of Senator Ndume.
It was then reported that the lawmaker was given several slaps by the senator in from of government officials when he confronted Ndume for “not supporting him during the APC primaries”.