Senator Ali Ndume, who was removed as the Chief Whip of the Senate, has declared that he stands by his conviction and utterances on the state of the country.
The long-serving senator, representing Borno South Senatorial District was, on Wednesday, removed as the Chief Whip of the 10th Senate for his criticism of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
This was as the leadership of his political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), said that it was convinced that Ndume is a mole in the party.
However, reacting to his removal as the Chief Whip and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation in a television interview on Friday, the federal lawmaker said what he said was nothing but the truth.
Ndume said it was very clear that Nigerians are passing through the most difficult times in the history of the country.
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Reacting To His Removal As Chief Whip
“In reaction to what has happened to me, I reviewed it severally, several times from the beginning to the end. The interview that I granted, I also shared the interview to friends, elders and leaders in this country to review; to review it and get back to me. [This is with the view] to tell me whether I said anything that is not true or that is wrong in the interview.
“Unanimously, the people I shared the interview with, and my conviction too, tells [sic] 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.
On The Role Of APC In The Saga
Ndume said: “Secondly, the party (the All Progressives Congress, APC) that recommended to the Senate that I should be removed from being the Chief Whip of the Senate, I take that as an act of God. This is because it is God that gave me the position; it is God that took it, through APC. So, I bear no grudge about that.
“After all, I did not contest to be the Chief Whip; I did not contest to be the vice chairman of the Appropriation Committee. I contested to be one of the senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Alihamdulilah, God granted me that victory. I am happy with God for what God has done for me.
His Advice To President Bola Tinubu
“I am an ardent historical follower of a famous former American president, Theodore Roosevelt. Briefly, he said it is unpatriotic to stand with the president with or whatever he does. It is patriotic to speak the truth to, not only the president, but anybody for that matter. It is unpatriotic not to speak the truth to power or anybody and I still stand by that. In doing so, it is also known that God is always with the person that speaks the truth.
“So, I know that I am not wrong; the people are not wrong by speaking the truth and by standing by the truth. And I pray that the president [Bola Tinubu], who by now the message must have gotten to, to look at what I have said and take appropriate measures to ameliorate the sufferings of the people. People are suffering; people are angry; people are not happy.
“I am happy that, yesterday [Thursday], the president agreed with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to increase the salary to ₦70,000, which is a good move. But it takes more than that because, realistically, that [the new minimum wage] is like a bag of rice. That money, maybe, would buy a bag of rice.
“I will call on the president to still open up and listen to the people. The president I knew has unfettered access to the people. If you go to Bourdillon, you will know from afar whether he is there or not. If you go to Lagos House in Abuja, if he is Abuja, you know from the corner whether the president is there or not. I think he should think about that.”
On The Advice To Leave APC
Ndume said: “On me leaving the party, I am a founding member of APC. In fact, I can say I am in APC before the national chairman [Dr Abdullahi Ganduje] because I am [sic] a member of the (then) new- National Democratic Party (n-PDP) that formed APC; that joined the coalition that formed APC. And I did not just do it like that. It is [sic] in consultation with my people that I joined APC.”
How Buhari And Tinubu Ordered Me To Join APC
“We were 22 senators that joined to form APC. We were called the n-PDP then. If you check history and look at the list of the senators, my name is Number 21 out of the 22. That was because, initially, I did not want to join APC because of some people that are [sic] in the coalition.
“But I was, I use the word, ordered by [former President Muhammadu] Buhari and current President Tinubu to sign to join APC in the Imo Government Lodge. It was [former Governor] Rochas Okorocha who was hosting us that was sent to summon me to the Imo Government Lodge when Buhari came with the list and asked me to sign.
“Tinubu was sitting there. I was sitting there. Only the three of us were called to sign. So, I am not a new member. And I did not join APC just like that. It was in consultation with my people that I joined APC. I take [sic] his [APC National Chairman’s] advice and I will get across to my people. I am here in Maiduguri because I am bereaved. I did not issue an immediate statement because I did not want to over-react over what has happened.
On His Removal As Chairman Senate Appropriation Committee
Ndume said: “The Appropriation Committee was given to me, not because I was desperate about it. No!It was because I was begged to accept the position of Chief Whip, knowing fully well that I led the campaign for the emergence of [Senator Godswill] Akpabio as the Senate President. I was begged to choose whichever committee I want to be the vice chairman. I choose the Appropriation Committee in order to stand for my people and make sure that there is justice in whatever they do.
On Why He Rejected Offer Senate Committee on Tourism
“I learnt -because nobody wrote to me -that I have been given the chairman, Tourism Committees. I want to state here that I beg to decline or reject the offer for two or three reasons:
“One, you must not do what you are interested [sic]. I am not a tourist. Two, I don’t have visa to any country as I am 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 have never been, except America where I schooled [sic] and London that I used to go to. Even at that, I cannot remember going to any of these two countries for the last 10 years or more.
“So, I am not interested in accepting the Committee on Tourism for the two reasons. I am inexperienced in that. I don’t know anything; I am not knowledgeable about tourism. I would, if anything, prefer to remain as an ordinary member so that I can learn about tourism. Besides, I have committees that I am contented with. I want them to note that I am not interested.”
Ndume Urges Supporters To Continue To Support Tinubu
His travails notwithstanding, Senator Ali Ndume called remain calm and to continue to pray for Nigeria and support President Tinubu.
“Finally, I want to call on [my] numerous to remain calm, law-abiding and support this government. We are passing through the most difficult times in the history of this country. [This is] especially when it touches on lack of food. At the World Food Programme, they said there is going to be scarcity; there is going to hunger.
“Already the indices have shown, even now. Nigeria is ranked as one of the countries that are top in food insecurity, with over 38 million [people] that are facing food insecurity. This is in addition to insecurity of Boko Haram, banditry, kidnapping and separatists in the South-East.
“So, Nigerians need to pray; Nigerians need to support the government in whatever way so that if the president or the government succeeds, we would be better off. If the president or the government fails, the poor masses will be the first victim.”
