An assembly of Borno State residents gathered at the Unity Fountain in Abuja on Wednesday in a demonstration against the dismissal of Senator Ali Ndume (APC Borno South) from his position as Senate Chief Whip by the Senate.
The irate protesters wielded placards inscribed with messages such as “We oppose the removal of Senator Ndume as Senate Whip,” “Ndume’s statements benefit the nation,” and “The Senate must rectify the injustice done to Senator Ndume,” among other phrases.
Last week Tuesday, the Senate, acting on a request from the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress, ousted Ndume from his role as Whip and appointed Senator Mohammed Monguno (APC Borno North) as his successor, as indicated in a jointly signed letter by National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje and Secretary Senator Ajibola Basiru.
Expressing their dissatisfaction with the Senate’s decision, the Borno collective represented by the Southern Borno Development Association, led by Muhammad Biu, insisted on addressing the unfair treatment towards Ndume.
In a communication titled: “Appeal regarding the removal of Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume as Senate Whip for voicing opinions on critical national matters,” delivered to journalists by the group’s leader, a plea for the reversal of the decision was made.
The letter, directed to the Senate President Godswill Akpabio, stated, “On behalf of the residents of Southern Borno Senatorial District in Borno State, we respectfully urge the Distinguished Senate under your competent guidance to reconsider the APC Senate Caucus’s decision to depose Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume as Senate Chief Whip and Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, based on the letter from the All Progressives Congress National Chairman.
“Senator Ndume’s remarks on the issue of food insecurity seem to have been misinterpreted, as they were not intended to criticize President Bola Tinubu’s administration. On the contrary, they should be viewed in the context of our joint effort to find solutions to the current food crisis, which the government is fully aware of.”
The letter continued, “It is widely recognized that Nigeria is presently grappling with a severe food crisis, with widespread hunger jeopardizing the welfare of Nigerians. Senator Ndume, propelled by responsibility and patriotism, merely drew the administration’s attention to these urgent issues, hoping for swift and effective measures to address them.”
“It is also known that several other prominent APC Senators have expressed similar perspectives on the Senate floor, urging President Tinubu to take urgent actions to avert the looming food crisis.
“It is undisputed that Sen Ndume is a committed APC member who has worked relentlessly since the party’s inception, always providing constructive counsel on governance for the betterment of Nigerians.”
The letter emphasized, “The Senate could have better handled the situation by internally resolving matters affecting its members democratically. We hope that the Senate will not discard the progress made over an issue that could have been amicably settled.
“Given these circumstances and the necessity to restore our Senatorial District to its rightful position in the Senate leadership, we earnestly implore the Senate to reconsider its stance on the actions taken against Senator Ndume for the sake of impartiality, justice, and fairness, and reinstate him accordingly.
“Moreover, we call upon President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, GCFR, the party’s leader, a true advocate of democracy, to intervene with fervor.”