July 19, (THEWILL) – The lawmaker representing Borno South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Ali Ndume, says only his constituency who elected him can ask him to leave the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ndume, who was removed on Wednesday, as Senate Chief Whip, also rejected a new position offered to him as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tourism.
THEWILL earlier reported that the leadership of the APC, in a letter addressed to the Senate Caucus, had asked Ndume to resign and join any opposition party of his choice. This followed his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The lawmaker had in an interview with Arise TV, 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 on the same type of thinking,” he added.
Also in a recent interview with BBC Hausa, Ndume criticised President 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. While he was removed as Senate Chief Whip, his party, the APC, also asked him to resign his membership and join any opposition party of his choice.
However, speaking on Friday, with newsmen at his residence in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, Ndume said only “my people, my constituency and teaming supporters that will decide for me whether to stay in APC, join another party or quit politics”.
He called on his supporters and Nigerians to continue to pray for God to have mercy on the masses, restore peace in the land, and remain calm and law-abiding always as things unfold.
His words: “As for the Chairman Senate Committee on Tourism offered to me, I want to say that I am not a tourist and not good at tourism.
“As it is, I have spent over 10 years without going to any foreign countries. I have never been to the United Kingdom (UK). Even the United States of America which I went to was when I was schooling there.
“I am a democrat and a realist, and someone who always says the truth no matter whose ox is gored.
“According to former US President, Mr. Theodore Roosevelt, and I quote, ‘Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that 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 a press statement aligning with my statement regarding excruciating hunger and insecurity under President Bola Tinubu.
“Secondly, the NWC of our great party, APC, recommended to the Senate that I should be removed, which they did. I took that as an act of God because it is God who 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 the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“So, it is not that I am desperate. I am over 64 years old now, and I thank God.
“On the advice(s) 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 my people, 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 to say that I will not go to court. I surrendered my case to Almighty Allah (God).
“I am happy; yesterday the President approved the minimum wage to N70,000 only. It is a good move. But the minimum wage is still minimal compared to a 50kg bag of rice which costs over N70,000.”
