By Olawale Lamina
Nigeria’s Pro-democracy group, The Democratic Front,TDF, has pulled its weight behind the removal of the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Ali Ndume, applauding the step taken as decisive, firm and resolute.
The decision to remove Senator Ndume from the ranks of Principal Officers of the Senate followed his flippant utterances against President Bola Tinubu and his administration.
Recall that Senator Ndume, during an interview on Arise TV programme last Friday, stated that the country was being led by those who were unfit to govern, prioritising personal interests over the well-being of the nation and its citizens.
TDF, in a statement signed by its Chairman Mallam Danjuma Muhammad and the Secretary, Chief Wale Adedayo commended the All Progressives Congress ,APC, leadership for successfully pushing for Ndume’s removal as the Senate’s Whip.
The statement reads in part, “The TDF has noticed with dismay the series of negative, bias and tainted criticisms that Senator Ali Ndume, who represents the Borno South Senatorial District in the Senate has levelled against his colleagues, Mr President’s team and against President Bola Tinubu, himself.
Senator Ndume has launched several tirades on the federal government, of which he is part starting from when the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) decided to move a department where his daughter works to Lagos.
“We recall that the controversial former Senate Chief Whip made careless remarks and insinuations that could have incited commotion in the polity, when the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and a few CBN staff were transferred to Lagos, in an effort to cut the cost of governance and ease protocol of engagement with private sector players in the nation’s commercial capital.
“At the time, he was known to have said there would be “political consequences” for the movement, but as inciting as the comment was, it was overlooked by the party and the Senate.
“So we were shocked and alarmed when Ndume recently described the government of President Bola Tinubu as a ‘kakistocracy, government by the most clueless people in the society, and for us, it was a derogatory remark as well as the climax of the serial act of incivility by a member of the ruling party and the Chief Whip of the Nigerian Senate.
The TDF carpeted the Senator further over his utterances on critical national issues, adding that, “coupled with his characteristic flip-flop on previous views, could be likened to that of an individual who lacks the mental, emotional and intellectual ability to weigh in on issues properly.”
Commending the decision that led to the replacement of the controversial Senator Ndume, the pro-democracy group was quick to observed too that, “In competence and merit, Ndume does not appear to be better qualified than Senator Tahir Monguno, who replaced him as Chief Whip, so we hail the Senate leadership on its choice.
“We also salute the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), for the prompt and informed decision, to save the party from the embarrassment of a disloyal member, by requesting the removal and immediate replacement of Ndume, as Senate Whip.
“We believe the party needs to be decisive in instilling discipline and loyalty among its card-carrying members. To this end, we urge the APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje and the Party’s National Working Committee (NWC), to take further action on Senator Ndume in order to send clear signals to the party’s rank and file.
“Senator Ndume has extensively exhibited every trait of a disloyal Party member, and it will be a disservice to the Party for its leadership to continue to harbour a potential traitor within its fold.”
The group concluded by calling on the new Senate Chief Whip, Monguno, to resist the urge to follow the example of his predecessor but instead give a good account of himself as a good ambassador of the ruling party in the Upper Chamber.
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