Former Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume
Eko Hot Blog reports that Senator Ali Ndume of Borno South says he stands by his comments criticizing the federal government as being run by kakistocrats and kleptocrats.
Ndume doubled down on his comments during an interview in Abuja on Friday, a few days after he was ousted as the Chief Whip of the Senate.
Last Thursday, the senator told Arise News that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is populated by kakistocrats and kleptocrats.
While kakistocracy defines a government under the control of a nation’s worst or least-qualified citizens, kleptocracy refers to a corrupt and dishonest government or society characterised by greed.
Following Ndume’s comments, Ndume was removed as chief whip of the senate by the All Progressives Congress (APC). The party also asked the lawmaker to resign as its member.
Thereafter, Senate President Godswill Akpabio removed the lawmaker as the vice-chairman of the appropriation panel and appointed him to head the senate committee on tourism.
In his first comment on the incident, Ndume said he said nothing wrong, noting that his removal as the chief whip of the senate was an “act of God”.
Former Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume
The senator noted that he reviewed his interview and also got feedback from friends and elders but was told that he did not say anything that is not true.
“I have reviewed the interview I granted. I also shared with friends, leaders, elders in this country to review and get back to me to tell me if I have said anything that is not true or that is wrong in that interview,” he said.
“Unanimously, the people I shared with and my conviction too, tell me that I didn’t do anything wrong, I did not say anything wrong and therefore, I want to state that I stand with all my statements in the interview I granted.
“The party that recommended me to be removed as being the chief whip of the senate, I take that as an act of God.
“It is God that gave me that position, and it is God that took that through APC, so I bear no grudges.”
Moreover, Ndume rejected his new appointment in the upper legislative chamber.
“I learnt that I have been appointed chairman of tourism. I want to state here that I beg to decline for two reasons,” he said.
“You must do something that you are interested in, I’m not a tourist, I don’t have a visa to any country as I am speaking to you.
“I have never been to China, India, or France except America where I schooled, and London I used to go, but even at that, I can’t remember going to any of these countries.
“I’m not experienced in that. I would prefer to be an ordinary member; besides I have committees that I’m already content with.”
In an interview with BBC Hausa on July 10, Ndume had also alleged that some ministers and lawmakers can no longer reach Tinubu to relay the prevailing economic hardship and hunger in the land.
“The major problem with this government is that its doors are closed, to the extent that even some ministers cannot see the president,” he had claimed.
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