Few days after the removal of Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume as Senate Chief Whip and Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, the All Progressives Congress faithful from his home state stormed Abuja to protest the action of the Party Caucus in the Senate.
The APC lawmakers took the action to axe Ndume based on a formal request by the party’s national chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
Ganduje in the letter read by Akpabio described Senator Ndume’s sustained criticisms of the Tinubu administration as uncouth and unbecoming of the latter status as a senior member of the ruling party and the Parliament.
Leader of the protesters under the Southern Borno Development Association, Mohammed Ibrahim Biu said, “We are here to register our displeasure over the action of the Senate with respect to our Senator, Ali Ndume.
“He was removed from office as Senate Whip based on a complaint by the National Chairman of the APC for saying what others have been saying.
“Nothing he said was new. We believe President Tinubu being a listening leader, has started implementing some of the advice given by Senator Ndume that is why the new minimum wage bill was recently passed and approved by him.
“We wish to appeal to the Senate President and the Senate to reconsider this decision.
“He was occupying that position as the only position occupied by the Southern Borno Senatorial District in the National Assembly.”
Biu described Ndume as a consistent and forthright leader who had always spoken out in favour of his constituents in particular and downtrodden Nigerians in general.
He maintained that the erstwhile Chief Whip should be supported, not vilified for speaking and standing by the truth always.
Checks revealed that Ndume had last Friday said he spoke out of conviction and nursed no regret over the action of the APC Senate Caucus.
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