The ruling The All Progressives Congress has commenced negotiations with Senate leadership to facilitate Senator Ali Ndume’s restoration as Chief Whip.
The move comes one month after Ndume, who represented the Borno South Senatorial District, was removed from his position due to persistent public attacks of President Bola Tinubu and the ruling APC.
The Borno member alleged that the President had been confined and insulated from the hardships that Nigerians were going through, which irritated the ruling party.
Ndume was promptly replaced by Tahir Monguno, the senator representing Borno North, in accordance with a letter from the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, and National Secretary, Senator Basiru Ajibola.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, submitted the request to a voice vote, which was loudly supported by all APC senators.
Last Tuesday, following a two-hour closed-door meeting with the National Working Committee in Abuja, a sober-looking Ndume told journalists that he had issued an unreserved apology to the APC.
Confirming the occurrence, APC National Chairman Ganduje stated that Ndume’s apology was accepted, describing the situation as a family affair.
“We’re writing to the National Assembly to explain what happened between Senator Ndume and the party. As you are aware, he has apologised to the party in the hope that they will reconsider their attitude,” Ganduje stated.
Three days after the meeting, a source in the party secretariat, who requested anonymity, informed our reporter that the party had begun conversations with Senate leadership to reconsider Ndume’s ouster as Chief Whip.
“As the national chairman announced on Tuesday, the APC has commenced discussions with Senate leadership. “As he correctly stated the other day, it is a family matter,” the insider said.
Nze Chidi Duru, the APC’s deputy national organising secretary, confirmed the continuing consultation when reached. He added that it might not always be held in public.
But according to Duru, it was up to the Senate leadership to determine whether or not that was the proper decision.
He asserts that the APC is a law-abiding organisation that is prepared to accept back prodigal and transgressive members as long as they are prepared to go back and follow the party’s constitution.
He stated, “It is up to us to recommend that the Senate take the necessary action.” I believe they are all party members who value the APC. We took the steps we did because we believed there was something wrong with the manner he addressed the public without allowing the party to hear him out.
“There will be numerous backdoor talks and discussions that will address all parties involved in order to accomplish the vital task at hand, rather than merely on the surface. The APC is a law-abiding party that advocates for compromise. You are aware that Ndume is a high-ranking member of the party who is also much regarded. That is why we greeted him with a golden handshake and concluded the meeting in a festive mood.”
Bala Ibrahim, the APC’s National Publicity Director, said the decision to reinstall Ndume as Senate Chief Whip was not surprising, given that the executive and legislative branches were free to reorganise and reassign ministries as they saw right.
“Why not? Of course, there is nothing strange there. This is an in-house thing. Even in the executive arm of the government, a cabinet reshuffle is normal. The legislature can also reshuffle and reassign portfolios. Nobody has an entitlement to any position. It is at the discretion of the leader of the House or the Senate to assign portfolios to people they think can run the office to satisfaction.
“In any case, Ndume is a senior senator for that matter. There is nothing wrong if the Senate finds him good for that position. I don’t think there is any law that says he cannot be reinstated. Moreover, this is one Senate that is trying to be as rancour-free as possible under the leadership of Godswill Akpabio.
“So, I am sure if they feel the need to reinstate him, all the necessary consultations will be made to ensure that it is done in a way that will not create any hitch. This is my belief. He apologised and the party accepted his apology. So it’s an in-house thing. It is a problem within the family that can always be resolved without necessarily going for an intermediary.
“So I believe the party will put in place all the necessary things that need to be done for him to be reinstated. That is not my place to say. It is the discretion of the Senate and the discretion of the party,” Ibrahim said.