APC yet to send Ndume’s reinstatement letter to Senate
The All Progressive Congress is yet to send a letter to reinstate Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) as chief Whip to the Senate, Sunday PUNCH has learnt.
Ndume was on July 17 relieved of his position as the Senate Chief Whip following a request to the Senate by the APC leadership.
Known for his outspokenness, Ndume had in an interview with BBC Hausa Service alleged that President Tinubu was held captive by forces in the Presidential Villa, who were feeding him with lies and shielding him from selfless Nigerians who would tell him the truth.
He further stated that he had attempted to see the president twice to explain the country’s true state to him after writing to him twice, but all his attempts to gain an audience with the president proved abortive.
In a letter signed by its National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, and National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, the APC had requested the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to remove Ndume as the Chief Whip for his “unguarded utterances” that were “against the federal government.”
He was immediately replaced by Senator Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North) as requested in the letter submitted by the party.
But weeks later, Ndume visited the National Working Committee of the ruling in Abuja to tender an apology for not conveying his message to the party.
In response, the APC national chairman, who described the matter as a family affair, said Ndume had been forgiven and the party would write to the Senate to restore his position as the Chief Whip.
“We are writing to the National Assembly to convey what has transpired between Senator Ndume and the party. As you are aware, he has apologised to the party with the hope that they can review their position,” Ganduje said.
Similarly, the National Deputy Organising Secretary of the APC, Nze Duru, confirmed to Sunday PUNCH that the party had communicated with the Senate.
He said, “I think it is now down to the senators to do what is considered to be the right decision.
“I don’t think it is in our hands anymore. There is already an engagement with the leadership of the Senate.”
However, when our correspondent reached out to the APC senators to find out if they were willing to accept Ndume back as the chief whip, they said there was no letter from the party to that effect.
A senator, who pleaded anonymity, said Ndume’s removal was a hasty and unjust decision by the Senate to remove him from his leadership position.
The lawmaker said, “They knew what they did was wrong. Even if he had committed an offense, you don’t just convict someone without a trial. He wasn’t invited to explain myself, and he didn’t do anything wrong. What he said was a statement of fact.
“Are we not all experiencing the suffering? Both the rich and the poor are lamenting.”
When contacted, Senator Ndume declined comment and said he wouldn’t want to speak on the issue anymore.
Also, Basiru said he was busy with election, which is the priority of the party at the moment.
