- ‘I Have Not Been To China, India, I Can’t Chair Committee On Tourism’
Embattled sacked Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume has finally broken his silence few days after his removal by the All-Progressives Congress (APC).
Ndume, the lawmaker representing Borno South in the National Assembly, was on Wednesday sacked as the Chief Whip, Ali Ndume, for criticizing President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He was replaced by Tahir Monguno (Borno North).
Ndume had gotten into trouble last week when he told journalists that President Tinubu has been “caged” in the Presidential Villa and that some forces are preventing well-meaning people from physically discussing the truth with him.
He claimed that the situation did not allow the president to know that many Nigerians are hungry.
He also alleged that Tinubu’s administration was populated by kleptocrats.
Reacting for the first time since he was removed, Ndume said having reviewed the conversation that prompted his ouster, his action did not warrant his sack.
“I did not say anything wrong. And therefore, I want to state that I stand by all my statements in the interview I granted,” the senator insisted.
“So, I know that I’m not wrong. The people are not wrong by speaking the truth and standing by the truth,” the 64-year-old.
“And I pray that the president who by now, I expect the message should have gotten to him, looks at what I have said and takes appropriate measures to eliminate the suffering of the people.”
“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. So, I bear no grudges about that.
“It is God that gave me that position, and it is God that took that through APC.
“After all, I did not contest to be the chief whip. I did not contest to be the vice chairman of the appropriation committee. I contested to be one of the Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and God granted me that victory and I’m happy with God, what God has given to me” Ndume said.
The lawmaker said he was given the chance to choose which committee to serve as the vice chairman having successfully led the campaigns that brought about the emergence of Godwill Akpabio as president of the Senate.
“Secondly, the party that recommended to the Senate that I should be removed from being the chief whip of the Senate, I take that as an act of God because if it is God who gave me that position. It is God that took it through APC. So, I bear no grudges about that,” Ndume said.
“So, I’m not interested in accepting the committee on tourism for the two reasons I told you,” the Borno South lawmaker said.
“I told you I’m inexperienced in that. I don’t know anything, I’m not knowledgeable about tourism. So, I would, if any, prefer to remain as an ordinary member so that I can learn about tourism.”
