Senator Ali Ndume of Borno South has defended his recent critical statements against the President Bola Tinubu-led government and addressed his removal as Chief Whip of the Senate.
“In reaction to what has happened to me, I reviewed several times from beginning to the end of the interview I was granted,” Ndume said.
He said he consulted with various individuals, including friends and leaders, to ensure the accuracy of his remarks.
“Unanimously, the people I shared with and my conviction too tell me that I did not do anything wrong. I did not say anything wrong. And therefore, I want to state that I stand by all my statements in the interview I granted.”
Regarding his removal from the Chief Whip position, Ndume described it as an act of God. “The party that recommended to the Senate that I should be removed from being the Chief Whip, I take that as an act of God,” he stated.
Ndume emphasised that his primary goal was to serve as a Senator, not to hold specific positions. “I contested to be one of the Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. And Alhamdulillah, God granted me that victory.”
Drawing inspiration from the former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, Ndume highlighted his commitment to truth and transparency. “It is unpatriotic not to speak the truth to power or to anybody, and I still stand by that,” he said.
He also noted that “God is always with the person that speaks the truth,” reaffirming his stance on honesty and accountability.
Making the statement on Channels TV on Friday, he said that on the matter of being offered the chairmanship of the Tourism Committee, Ndume declined the offer, citing a lack of interest and a belief in the importance of genuine passion for one’s role.
“To me, since I’ve been given chairman of tourism, I want to state here that I beg to decline or to reject the offer for two reasons or three. One, you must not do something that you are not interested in.
“I’m not a tourist. I don’t have a visa to any country as I’m speaking to you now, because I don’t travel a lot. I have never been to China. I have never been to India. I have never been to France. In fact, I’ve…”
SaharaReporters earlier reported that Senator Mohamed Ali Ndume (Borno South) was removed as Chief Whip by the Senate.
The decision was supported by members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senate Caucus through a voice vote led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during the plenary session on Wednesday.
Tahir Mungono (Borno North) has been appointed as Ndume’s replacement.
This move follows Ndume’s recent criticisms of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In response, the APC’s national leadership, represented by national chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje and Secretary, Ajibola Bashiru, urged Ndume in a letter addressed to the Senate Caucus to resign from the APC and join any opposition party of his choice.
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