Senator Ali Ndume has addressed his recent removal as the Senate Chief Whip, asserting that his actions did not warrant his dismissal.
Ndume’s ouster followed his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s handling of national issues.
In a statement made in his Maiduguri home on Friday, July 19, Ndume revealed that he has also declined the chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Tourism. He cited a lack of experience and exposure to lead such a sensitive committee as the reason for his decision.
Reflecting on his removal, Ndume stated that he never aspired to be the Senate Chief Whip, especially after serving as the Senate Leader in the eighth assembly. He explained that he had the opportunity to choose a vice-chair position on a committee after successfully leading the campaign for Godswill Akpabio’s emergence as Senate President.
Regarding calls for his resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ndume emphasized his foundational role in the party. He recounted being one of the twenty-two senators who left the PDP to form the APC, noting that Abdullahi Ganduje, the current APC national chairman, was a deputy governor in Kano State at that time.
Ndume also recalled a significant moment when former President Muhammadu Buhari and President Bola Tinubu persuaded him to join the APC. He stated that he consulted with his constituents before making his membership public and would do the same before deciding whether to leave the party.
The senator explained that he did not immediately respond to his removal because he was mourning the death of a family member.