The Democratic Front (TDF) has applauded the removal of Senator Ali Ndume as Senate Chief Whip, describing the action 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.
In a statement signed by its Chairman Mallam Danjuma Muhammad and Secretary Chief Wale Adedayo, the group also commended the All Progressives Congress (APC) 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.
“We strongly believe that the impolite, offensive and confrontational approach of Ndume on important national issues, 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 on issues properly.
“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 also called on the new Senate Chief Whip to resist the urge to toe the self-serving path of Ndume and be a good ambassador of the ruling party in the Senate.
