In a recent statement, Senator Ali Ndume has addressed his removal as the Senate Chief Whip, asserting that his actions did not justify the decision. The Borno South lawmaker was removed from his position following his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Speaking from his country home in Maiduguri on Friday, 48 hours after his removal, Ndume expressed his disinterest in the role of Senate Whip, recalling his previous tenure as Senate Leader in the eighth Senate. He emphasized that his recent comments did not warrant such a drastic response.
According to Channels Television, Ndume also revealed that he declined the chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Tourism, citing a lack of experience and exposure necessary to lead such a sensitive group. He mentioned that he was offered the opportunity to choose a committee to serve as vice chairman, recognizing his efforts in the campaigns that led to Godswill Akpabio’s emergence as Senate President.
The senator addressed calls for his resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC), stating his deep-rooted commitment to the party. As a founding member, Ndume highlighted his role among the twenty-two senators from the PDP who formed the APC, noting that the current national chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, was then a deputy governor in Kano State.
Recalling his entry into the APC, Ndume said that former President Muhammadu Buhari and President Bola Tinubu had asked him to sign a document joining the APC at the Imo House in Abuja. He made it clear that he consulted his constituents before making his decision public, and he plans to do the same before making any further decisions about his party affiliation.
Ndume explained his initial silence on the matter, revealing that he was mourning the loss of a family member at the time….Seē _ Morē