Senate presidency shouldn’t be zoned | Leadership positions in 10th n’assembly are being bought –Ali Ndume

Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno south district, has
claimed that the leadership positions in the 10th national assembly are being
“bought”.

Speaking on Sunday in an interview with Channels Television,
Ndume said the Nigerian democratic system is being taken over by those who have
the financial resources to buy leadership positions.

Ahead of the inauguration of the 10th national assembly in
June, there has been intense politicking by some lawmakers-elect for leadership
positions.

Commenting on the situation, Ndume said the leadership
positions of the senate should be open for contest, adding that it’s not fair
for the senate president to come from a particular zone.

 “For me, the
leadership of the national assembly should be open in the first instance. The
senate president is not supposed to be a regional president, it is a senate
president of the Nigerian senate,” he said.

“We have 109 senators. The leadership emergence is not
clearly stated. Section 50 of the constitution states that the senate president
shall be elected among the members.”

Ndume alleged that leadership positions in the country
belong to the “kleptocrats and plutocrats” while calling for the investigation
and prosecution of politicians with unexplained wealth.

 “In lawmaking, there
is no library for you to refer to. There is no handover note. That means we are
starting from scratch,” he added.

“There is a need for experience. I have been there for the
past 20 years. Some people said I have been there for the past 20 years, that
is why you need to run (referring to the senate presidency contest).

“It is like Nigerian politics has turned into what is called
turn-by-turn. It is a bad precedent. I see people coming to the national
assembly with nothing and suddenly because they spent years in the national
assembly they become rich. Something is wrong. You see civil servants living in
the house worth billions. Nobody asks questions.

“There should be unexplained wealth act so that if you
display wealth that is not in tandem with your income, you should be
investigated and confiscated and if it is extensive, you should be prosecuted.
People should ask questions.

 “Now, you can see
what is happening, they are trying to buy the position. The position in the leadership
of this country is becoming those that belong to kleptocrats and plutocrats.
Democracy is no longer there.

“They are buying it already.”