The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has begun consultations with the Senate leadership to facilitate the reinstatement of Senator Ali Ndume as Chief Whip, a month after he was removed from the position for publicly criticising President Bola Tinubu and the party.
Ndume, who represents Borno South, was ousted from the role following remarks suggesting that President Tinubu was being “caged” and shielded from the realities of the economic hardships facing Nigerians. His comments provoked the ire of the APC leadership, leading to his swift replacement by Senator Tahir Monguno of Borno North. The decision to remove Ndume was swiftly confirmed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio through a voice vote involving APC senators.
However, after a closed-door meeting with the APC’s National Working Committee (NWC) last Tuesday, Ndume, looking subdued, offered an unreserved apology to the party. Speaking on the outcome, APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje described the matter as a “family affair” and confirmed that Ndume’s apology had been accepted.
“We are writing to the National Assembly to convey what has transpired between Senator Ndume and the party. As you are aware, he has apologised to the party with the hope that they can review their position,” Ganduje stated.
Just days after the meeting, a source within the APC revealed that the party had initiated discussions with the Senate leadership regarding a possible reversal of Ndume’s removal as Chief Whip. “The APC has begun consultation with the Senate leadership. As the National Chairman rightly said, it is a family issue,” the source disclosed.
When contacted, Deputy National Organising Secretary of the APC, Nze Chidi Duru, confirmed the ongoing consultations, noting that such discussions might not necessarily be conducted in public. He emphasised that the Senate leadership would ultimately decide whether to reinstate Ndume.
Duru reiterated that the APC, as a law-abiding party, was open to welcoming back members who admitted their mistakes and committed to abiding by the party’s constitution. He explained, “Ndume has realised his mistake and came to the party to admit that he should have first discussed it with the APC before going public. The party has looked at it and then had a handshake with him.”
National Publicity Director of the APC, Bala Ibrahim, echoed this sentiment, stating that the potential reinstatement of Ndume as Chief Whip was a routine matter of internal governance. He likened it to the executive arm’s prerogative to reshuffle cabinet positions, asserting that no position in the legislature is permanently guaranteed.
“Ndume is a senior senator. If the Senate finds him good for that position, there is nothing wrong with his reinstatement. This Senate, under the leadership of Godswill Akpabio, is striving to be as rancour-free as possible. The party will put in place all necessary measures to ensure a smooth reinstatement, should that be the decision,” Ibrahim said.
The outcome of these discussions remains to be seen, but the APC appears committed to resolving the issue internally, reinforcing the party’s emphasis on unity and reconciliation.
