*Rejects his appointment by Akpabio as Tourism Committee Chairman
The ousted Chief Whip of the Senate, Mohammed Ali Ndume has said that he stood by his statement criticizing the administration of President Bola Tinubu during an interview he granted Arise TV last week Thursday and that he had no regret for what he said. He said he has accepted in good faith, his removal by the National Working Committee, NWC of the ruling All Progressives Congress, through a letter written to the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio last Wednesday.
Senator Ndume in an interview with Arise TV last Thursday expressed concerns over the lack of appreciable action by President Tinubu in tackling poverty, insecurity, hunger, and other pressing issues. The APC in the letter read by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, also asked Ndume to resign from the party and join either the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP or any of the opposition party.
Following his interview in which he said President Tinubu had been caged and prevented from knowing the hardships which Nigerians were going through, Ndume was also sacked as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation and was offered the Chairmanship of Senate Committee on Tourism. Ndume however rejected the offer saying he didn’t know anything about tourism and he never travelled outside the country for many years.
But Speaking in Maiduguri yesterday, Ndume said: “ I had wanted to react since the day I was illegally removed as Chief Whip of the Senate, but I couldn’t do so because I was mourning. I now deem it fit to do so. I am a Democrat and a realist, and someone who always says the truth no matter whose ox is gored.
“It is patriotic to support the president insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him if by inefficiency or otherwise, he fails in his duty to stand by the country. In either event, it is unpatriotic not to tell the truth, whether about the president or anyone else. Therefore, I have not regretted what I said during my interview with Arise TV, I thank all Nigerians who took to their social media platforms and groups who issued statements aligning with my statement regarding excruciating hunger and insecurity under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Secondly, I took it as an Act of God, the decision of the NWC of our great party, APC that recommended to the Senate that I should be removed which they did, because, it was God that gave me that mandate as Chief Whip, so I bear no grudges about what transpired. After all, I did not contest to be the Chief Whip or to be the Vice Chairman of the Appropriation Committee. Rather, I contested to be a senator representing Southern Borno and Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“So I am not desperate, I am over 64 years now, and I thank God. As for the Chairman, Senate Committee on Tourism offered to me, I want to say that, I am not a tourist and not good in tourism. As it is, I have spent over 10 years without going to any foreign country.
“I am happy yesterday when the President approved the minimum wage to N70,000 only, but the minimum wage is still minimal compared to a 50kg bag of rice which cost over N70,000. On the advice that I am free to join the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP or any political party of my choice, I want to reiterate that, I am one of the founding members of the APC. It is the people of my constituency and teaming supporters that will decide for me whether to stay in APC, join another party or quit politics. Whatever their advice, is what I will work with.
“On whether I will take the matter to Court, I want say that, I will not go to Court, I surrendered my case to Almighty Allah (God)”. Ndume stated.
He however called on his supporters and teaming Nigerians to continue to pray for God to have mercy on the masses, restore peace in the land, and to remain calm and law abiding always as things unfold.