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Ali Ndume Apologizes to APC over Comments on Tinubu During Live TV Interview
The immediate past Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, publicly apologized on Tuesday to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for embarrassing President Bola Tinubu during a live television program.
EKO HOT BLOG reports that This apology came a month after Ndume was removed from his position as Senate Chief Whip following an interview he granted to Arise TV. During the interview, he stated that Tinubu had been caged and was unaware of the hardships Nigerians were facing.
Immediate past Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume
Following his dismissal, Ndume was promptly replaced by Senator Tahir Monguno, who represents Borno North. This replacement was in accordance with a directive issued in a letter from the party’s National Chairman, Umar Ganduje, and National Secretary, Senator Bashir Ajibola.
After a two-hour closed-door meeting with members of the party’s National Working Committee at its secretariat in Abuja, Ndume addressed journalists. He expressed that although he had tendered an unreserved apology to the party, he stood by his statements from the interview.
He said, “Yesterday, I was invited by the party and here I am to discuss family matters. Actually, the national chairman is not just a chairman to me but also a father. With what has happened, it is not surprising that I was invited to hear my side and we had a family discussion.
“I accepted the mistake of not talking to the party as a last point and I told the party that all my observations as a senior member of the family should have terminated or ended with the party. That is something that will be corrected moving forward. But whatever I said or did was out of patriotism.
“Those issues may have been said strongly but they are true. Again, I should have talked to the party as the last bus stop. Next time when I want to talk, I will come and get clearance or at least talk to the party.”
When asked about the speculation that his membership had been withdrawn by the ruling party, Ndume expressed surprise.
President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu
“My membership? No, I have not been expelled. Even the party did not say we don’t want you here because the party is my father. “The only thing the party said is that ‘If you don’t want this house, you can go to any house.’ But where will I go? This is my house,” he added.
The lawmaker also dismissed questions about whether he planned to apologize to the President and the Senate over the incident.
He stated, “The President and the Senate have nothing to do with this. The President did not take offence. I didn’t insult the President or say anything against the party.”
Ganduje confirmed to journalists that Ndume had apologized and expressed regret over the incident. The APC national chairman also disclosed that the party plans to write to the Senate leadership to reconsider its stance on Ndume’s removal as Chief Whip, with a view to reinstating him.
He said, “We are quite satisfied with his apology. As he said, we invited him. As a party, the APC is the father of everybody. We are free to invite legislators, members of the executive and even all appointed party members in the government. That is why we decided to come together.
“It is a family issue and we need to resolve it. 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.”
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