The All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, to resign from the party and vacate his position as Chief Whip of the Senate.
This request was conveyed in a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, which was read during a plenary session on Wednesday.
Abdullahi Ganduje, the APC National Chair, and Ajibola Basiru, the National Secretary, have nominated Tahir Monguno, Senator representing Borno North, to replace Ndume. The APC’s decision was driven by accusations that Ndume made damaging remarks against President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The letter stated, “You have been making uncouth and rabid outbursts against the government before the international community, which is not only harmful to the government’s image but also its effort to bring in foreign direct investments (FDIs). We are of the opinion that Mohammed Tahir Monguno should immediately replace Senator Ali Ndume, who is bent on bringing down the country, as the Majority Whip of the Senate.”
Following this, Akpabio announced Ndume’s new appointment as Chair of the Senate Committee on Tourism. Adeniyi Adegbonmire, Senator representing Ondo Central, was named the new Chair of Judiciary and Legal Matters, a position previously held by Monguno before his nomination as Chief Whip.
Remarks that Got Ndume in Trouble
Ndume’s removal follows his critical remarks during interviews with BBC Hausa and Arise TV. On July 10, Ndume alleged that ministers and lawmakers struggled to communicate with President Tinubu regarding the prevailing economic hardship. “The major problem with this government is that its doors are closed, to the extent that even some ministers cannot see the president,” he said. “Not to mention members of the national assembly who do not have the opportunity to meet with him and discuss the issues affecting their constituencies.”
Ndume reiterated this claim in a July 12 interview with Arise TV, suggesting that former President Muhammadu Buhari was more accessible. He accused the president’s aides of “shielding and fencing in” Tinubu from lawmakers and ministers.
The APC’s decision to replace Ndume underscores the party’s intolerance for internal dissent and its focus on maintaining a unified front in support of the Tinubu administration.
