Ali Ndume has spoken on his removal as the Chief Whip of the Senate, saying, having reviewed the conversation that prompted his ouster, his action did not warrant his sack.
The Borno South lawmaker said this in his country home of Maiduguri on Friday about 48 hours after he was removed as the Senate Chief Whip, saying he will decide after consulting his constituency about leaving APC or not.
Ndume was removed as the Senate Chief Whip after his frequent criticism of the President Bola Tinubu government’s handling of the nation, and security in his senatorial zone in Borno.
Hos words: “I did not say anything wrong. Therefore I want to state that I stand by all my statements in the interview I granted. I know that I’m not wrong. The people are also not wrong by speaking the truth and standing by the truth” .
“And I pray that the president who by now, I expect the message should have gotten to him, looks at what I have said and takes appropriate measures to eliminate the suffering of the people, ” said the 64-year-old.
About two days after the decision, the lawmaker said he has also declined the chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Tourism, arguing that he lacks the experience and exposure to lead such a sensitive group.
Ndume said that he never wanted to be a senate whip after serving as the leader in the eight Senate, adding “I was given the chance to choose, which committee to serve as the vice chairman having successfully led the campaigns that brought about the emergence of Godwill Akpabio as president of the Senate.
“Secondly, the party 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, because it is God who gave me that position.
”It is God that took it through APC. So, I bear no grudges 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 and God granted me that victory and I’m happy with God, what God has given to me.
“So, I’m not interested in accepting the committee on tourism for the two reasons I told you. I’m inexperienced in that; I don’t know anything about tourism, I’m not knowledgeable about it. I would, if any, prefer to remain as an ordinary member so that I can learn about tourism, ” the lawmaker said.
On the charge to resign from the All Progressives Congress (APC), the senator said he is a founding member of the party.
According to him, “I was one of the 22 senators from the PDP that formed the APC when the current national chairman of the party Abdullahi Ganduje was a deputy governor in Kano State.
“When former President Muhammadu Buhari in the company of President Bola Tinubu ordered me to sign a document to join APC at the Imo House in Abuja, I informed my people before going public, as such I would consult my people before deciding on whether to leave the APC or not.
“So, I’m not a new member. I didn’t join APC just like that. It was in consultation with my people that I joined APC. I took his advice and I will get it across to my people,” he further said.
Senator Ndume said he could not speak up immediately after his sack, because he was mourning the death of a family member.
