July 17, (THEWILL) – The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked the Senator representing Borno South in the National Assembly, Ali Ndume, to resign his membership of the party and join any opposition party of his choice.
THEWILL earlier reported that Ndume was replaced on Wednesday, as the Senate Chief Whip and replaced with the lawmaker representing Borno North, Tahir Mungono.
This follows a letter of complaint against Ndume by lawmakers of the APC read at plenary on Wednesday, by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Ndume recently granted an interview to the BBC Hausa where he criticised President Bola Tinubu over the food insecurity in the country. He told the BBC that the President has shut his doors against his Ministers.
Ndume’s criticisms of the government had sparked a backlash from the pro-Tinubu camp, with Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi West) and the APC condemning his statement as derogatory. The lawmakers had pointed out Ndume’s criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In response, the APC’s national leadership, represented by National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje and Secretary, Ajibola Bashiru, urged Ndume in a letter addressed to the Senate Caucus to resign from the APC and join any opposition party of his choice.
Ndume, an APC Senator representing Borno South, had alleged that President Tinubu has shut his doors, saying some ministers are unable to meet with the President to discuss the rising cost of living and food scarcity in Nigeria.
Speaking on BBC Hausa while expressing his concern, Ndume alleged that the Federal Government’s inability to address these issues is a major challenge.
“The major problem with this government is that its doors are closed, to the extent that even some ministers cannot see the President, 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.
“We want to draw the government’s attention to the fact that Nigeria is not only facing a high cost of living but also food scarcity. We want the President to intervene in the issue of high cost of living and food scarcity,” he told BBC.
Ndume cited the example of Katsina State, where children are already suffering from malnutrition due to food scarcity. He also mentioned the situation in Niger Republic and South Sudan, where children are dying due to hunger.
“We have seen how it happened in Niger Republic and South Sudan, where children are dying due to hunger, and we are starting to see it in Nigeria,” Senator Ndume added.
Ndume, who called on the government to take immediate action to address the food crisis, including meeting with experts and other stakeholders to find a solution, expressed disappointment that the government had not taken any concrete steps to address the issue, despite its promise to do so.
“What we want the government to do is to sit with experts and other stakeholders to find a solution to the problem. We are urging the government to take action, lest they forget that Nigeria is grappling with both soaring prices and a severe food shortage,” he said.
In another interview with Arise TV programme on Friday, Ndume also said the country is being led by those who are unfit to govern, prioritising personal interests over the well-being of the nation and its citizens.
“The government is also populated by kleptocrats, but unfortunately that is not what the President is up to; he really meant renewed hope but you can only do that when you have people around you that are of the same type of thinking,” he added.
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