I Stand By What I Said – Ndume Speaks After Sack

Senator Ali Ndume has responded to his recent expulsion as Senate Chief Whip, claiming that his actions did not deserve his dismissal.

Ndume’s removal followed his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s management of national affairs.

In a statement issued from his Maiduguri home on Friday, July 19, Ndume announced that he had also declined the chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Tourism. He cited a lack of experience and exposure in leading such a delicate committee as the reason for his choice.

Reflecting on his removal, Ndume remarked that he never wanted to be Senate Chief Whip, especially after serving as Senate Leader in the eighth parliament.

He added that after successfully spearheading the campaign to elect Godswill Akpabio as Senate President, he was given the choice to choose a vice-chair seat on a committee.

In response to requests for his resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ndume emphasised his foundational role in the party.

He recalled being one of twenty-two senators who defected from the PDP to join the APC, noting that Abdullahi Ganduje, the current APC national chairman, was a deputy governor in Kano State at the time.

Ndume also remembered a pivotal moment in which former President Muhammadu Buhari and President Bola Tinubu convinced him to join the APC.

He added that he conferred with his constituents before making his membership public, and that he will do the same before determining whether to leave the party.

The senator explained that he did not reply immediately to his removal because he was grieving the death of a family member.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli