The senator representing Borno South Senatorial District, Ali Ndume, says lawmakers have lost the confidence of the people over non-performance.
Ndume stated this during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday.
He explained that from the 2023 general elections, only 25 senators who were part of the ninth Assembly made it back to the upper chamber.
The former Senate Chief Whip called for the protection of the legislature, saying that once the parliament deviates from what the people expect from them, it would be a breach of confidence.
“It is not about these reforms but I am concerned that the institution is supposed to be protected.
“Out of 109 of us, only 25 of us made it back to the Senate. It means we have lost the confidence of the people.
“Out of those that didn’t come back, almost all wanted to come back except for a few that wanted to be governors,” he said
The lawmaker also talked about the dramatic scene that erupted in the Senate regarding the tax reform bills proposed by President Bola Tinubu in October.
DAILY POST recalls that there was an uproar in the senate on Wednesday after Ndume protested the entry of the chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, Zacch Adedeji into the red chamber.
Adedeji’s briefing was not outlined in the order paper of the upper legislative chamber, and that prompted Opeyemi Bamidele, majority leader, to move a motion for the suspension of the senate rules.
In response, while citing the rules of the senate, Ndume said visitors were not allowed into the red chamber to speak if the item was not listed on the order paper.
A day after the issue, Ndume faulted the incident, describing it as an ambush.
When asked if it was listed on the day’s proceedings, he said: “That is why I raised the matter. If not, why not?
“Zacch and Taiwo Oyedele, brilliant guys, I respect them for their intellect but not the way they are doing this thing,” he added.
Non-performance: Nigerians have lost confidence in lawmakers – Ndume