The Senate has removed Senator Ali Ndume from his position as Chief Whip, appointing Senator Tahir Monguno as his replacement.
This decision followed a directive from the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Umar Ganduje, and National Secretary, Senator Bashir Ajibola.
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The directive was presented to the Senate by President Godswill Akpabio and affirmed through voice votes by all APC senators.
The party’s letter accused Ndume of making damaging remarks against President Bola Tinubu’s administration. The letter stated, “You have been making uncouth and rabid outbursts against the government before the international community which is not only harmful to the governmentโs image but its effort to bring in Foreign Direct Investments.”
In addition to losing his role as a principal officer, Ndume was also stripped of his position as Vice-Chairman of the Appropriation Committee. Akpabio announced Ndume’s new position as chairman of the Senate Committee on Tourism.
In related changes, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire of Ondo Central was appointed chair of judiciary and legal matters, replacing Monguno.
Senator Ndume criticized the Tinubu administration for adopting a solitary approach to governance, disregarding the widespread hunger and suffering affecting the nation. In a recent interview, Ndume expressed his concerns that Tinubu had become isolated and detached from reality, surrounded by influences that hinder his ability to effectively address pressing issues such as poverty, insecurity, and hunger, which remain unaddressed.
This is not Ndume’s first removal from a leadership position; he was also sacked as Senate leader in January 2017 during the leadership of Bukola Saraki.