The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday, July 17, voted to remove Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South) from his position as Chief Whip.
The decision comes in the wake of recent controversies surrounding Ndume’s alleged attacks against President Bola Tinubu.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the removal during a plenary session, where members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senate Caucus endorsed the decision through a voice vote. Senator Tahir Mungono (Borno North) was named as Ndume’s replacement for the Chief Whip position.
The removal appears to be part of a broader party action against Ndume. In a letter addressed to the Senate Caucus, the national leadership of the APC called for Ndume to resign his membership from the party. The letter, signed by APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and Secretary Barrister Ajibola Basiru, suggested that Ndume should “join any opposition party of his choice.”
This move by both the Senate and the APC leadership signals a significant shift in the party’s internal dynamics and raises questions about the future of Ndume’s political career. The nature of Ndume’s alleged attacks against President Tinubu, which precipitated these actions, remains unclear at this time.