APC NWC Moves to Reinstate Ndume as Senate Chief Whip

•Ndume: My criticism of Tinubu inspired by patriotism

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdulahi Ganduje has revealed that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party has resolved to write the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio with the aim of reinstating the senator representing Southern Borno at the National Assembly, Senator Ali Ndume as the Chief Whip.

Ganduje disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja after a closed-door meeting with with the embattled Senator.

Recall that Ndume had accused Bola Tinubu’s presidency of running a solo government despite hunger across the land.

He also alleged in an interview with ARISE NEWS Channel recently that Tinubu had been fenced off and caged by certain forces and expressed concern over the lack of appreciable action by the president in tackling poverty, insecurity, hunger and other pressing issues.

However, his criticism of the president led to his removal as the Chief Whip of the Senate following a letter written by APC NWC to the President of the Senate.

Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Ganduje said the leadership of the party was satisfied with Ndume’s apology.

He stated: “We are quite satisfied with his apology. Like he said, we invited him and you know, the party is the father of everybody. As a party, we are free to invite legislators, we are free to invite members of the executive, and we are even free to invite all the appointed party members in the government.

“So, that is why we decided to come. So, it is a family issue, we need to resolve it and we are writing to the National Assembly conveying what has transpired between Senator Ndume and the party and you know he apologised to the party and we convey the same issue to the National Assembly, so that we hope they can review their position.”

On his part, Ndume said that his recent criticism of Tinubu was out of patriotism, insisting what he said was true.

Ndume noted that he could have channeled his frustration and grievances through the party as a senior member of the ruling party.

He said: “Yesterday (Monday) I was invited by the party and here I am to discuss family matters. Actually the national chairman is not just a national chairman to me but father.

“With what has happened which you are all aware of, it is not surprising that I am invited to air my own side and we had family discussions and I actually accepted the mistake of not talking to the party as a last point. And I promised the party that all my observations as a senior member of the family should have terminated or ended with the party.

“Whatever I said or whatever I did was out of patriotism and those issues may be said strongly but they are true, but then I should have talked to the party as the last bus stop.

“My membership, I have not been expelled, even the party did not say we don’t want you here, because he is my father, the party is my father, the only thing the party said is that look if you don’t want this house you can go to any house. Where will I go? This is my house.

“The President and the Senate have nothing to do with this, the President did not take offence, I didn’t insult the President, I didn’t say anything against the party but I left the party out of reaching on issues and so, please I think that is all I can say.”