Ndume: I was begged to be Chief Whip after campaigning for Akpabio

The senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, says he was appointed as the Chief Whip of the Senate following his support for the Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Ndume, who was recently removed as the Senate Chief Whip for criticising President Bola Tinubu, disclosed that he was given the chance to choose which committee to serve as the vice chairman after leading campaigns that brought about the emergence of Akpabio as Senate President.

The lawmaker disclosed this to journalists in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Friday, July 19, 2024.

He said he never wanted to be the Senate Chief Whip after serving as the leader in the eight Senate.

Ndume said: “The appropriation committee was given to me not because I was desperate about it; it was because I was begged to accept the position of Chief Whip knowing fully that I led the campaign for the emergence of Akpabio as Senate President and I was begged to choose whichever committee I want to supervise and I chose appropriation committee in order to stand for my people and make sure there is justice in whatever they do.

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“So, it was not that I was desperate but I learnt. 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.

“I’m not interested in accepting the committee on tourism for the two reasons I told you. 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.”

On the charge to resign from the All Progressives Congress (APC), the senator said he is a founding member of the party.

Ndume said he was one of the 22 senators from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who formed the APC when the current national chairman of the party Abdullahi Ganduje was a deputy governor in Kano State.

The lawmaker further disclosed that he was ordered by former President Muhammadu Buhari in the company of President Bola Tinubu to sign a document to join APC at the Imo Government Lodge in Abuja.

He, however, said he would consult his people before deciding whether to leave the APC because he did the same before joining the ruling party.

“I’m not a new member. I didn’t join APC just like that. It was in consultation with my people that I joined APC. I take his advice and I will get, I know across to my people,” Ndume added.

The Star