Ndume: Nigerian Government Should Make Senate a Part‑Time Role

Ali Ndume, the senator representing Borno South, urged the Nigerian government to transform the Senate into a part‑time institution, stipulating that lawmakers receive remuneration only during plenary or committee sessions.

He voiced this proposal on Friday during a Trust TV interview.

Ndume explained that senators do not occupy office spaces daily; they convene only for plenary meetings and committee work.

He said, “To me, I said it, what are we doing? We have been on recess for several times. Let us be paid by sitting. If you sit, you get paid. If you are not sitting, you are not paid.”

“And to me, we can even make the National Assembly to work part time. On Wednesday, we all assembled for an emergency meeting for this year; important national issues, that is the state policing even though I have reservations as to the speed and the way they are doing it.”

“Senate is a committee of elders. You just don’t come one day, sit down because the President wants state police, you just pass it overnight.”

“You are supposed to sit down, deliberate on it and get the input. We have passed the bill. Has the state police taken off today?”