On his new appointment as chairman Senate committee on tourism, Ndume says he is not a tourist and cannot accept the job
Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) has finally responded to his removal as the chief whip of the Senate. He said he accepted the removal in good faith.
Ndume however rejected his new appointment as tchairman senate committee on tourism, saying that he is not a tourist and is not good in tourism.
OrderPaper recalls that Ndume in an interview with Arise TV last Thursday, accused President Bola Tinubu of running a solo government despite hunger across faced by Nigerians. He also alleged that Tinubu’s administration was run by thieves.
Following these allegations a directive from the ruling All Pregressives Congress (APC) national secretariat demanding Ndume‘s removal a chief whip was sent to the Senate and read by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio during Wednesday’s plenary.
The APC also asked Ndume to resign from the party and join either the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or any of other opposition party
On the day of this announcement, Ndume was unavoidably absent as he was in Maiduguri, bereaved over the demise of his sister-in-law.
READ ALSO: Akpabio consolidates as APC axes Nidume as Senate Whip
Breaking the silence while speaking to journalists at his residence on Friday, Ndume noted that he doesn’t regret the statement he had made. According to him, “it is unpatriotic not to tell the truth, whether about the president or anyone else.”
He called on his supporters to remain calm and continue to pray for God to have mercy on the masses and restore peace in the land.
He said, ”I had wanted to react, but because I was mourning since the day I was illegally removed as chief whip of the Senate, 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.
“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 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.
“Therefore, I do not regret what I said during my interview with Arise TV, I thank all Nigerians who took to their social media platforms and groups who issued press statement aligning with my statement regarding excruciating hunger and insecurity under President Bola Ahmed 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 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 the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“So is not that I am 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 foreign countries, I have never been to United Kingdom, even United States of America which I went was when I was schooling there.
”I was happy yesterday when the President approved the minimum wage to N70,000 only. Is a good move, but the minimum wage is still minimal compared to a 50kg bag of rice which costs over N70,000.
“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 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 I will work with them.
“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),” Ndume stated.
STAR Check: Nigerians, particularly, constituents of Borno South district, can keep tabs on the legislative performance of Sen. Ndume throughout the 10th senate here.
