The immediate past Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, on Tuesday publicly apologised to the ruling All Progressives Congress for embarrassing President Bola Tinubu on a live television programme.
The apology came one month after he was removed as the Senate’s Chief Whip following the interview he granted Arise TV, stating that Tinubu had been caged and prevented from knowing the hardships which Nigerians were going through,
Following his sack, Ndume was immediately replaced by the Senator representing Borno North, Tahir Monguno.
Ndume’s replacement by the Senate followed a directive issued to that effect in a letter written by the National Chairman of the party, Umar Ganduje, and National Secretary, Senator Bashir Ajibola.
Addressing journalists after a two-hour closed-door meeting with members of the party’s National Working Committee at its secretariat in Abuja, the senator said that though he has tendered an unreserved apology to the party, he stands by what he told Nigerians in 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When asked to address the speculation that his membership was withdrawn by the ruling party, Ndume expressed surprise.
“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 waved aside the question on whether he plans to apologise to the President and the Senate over the development.
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 also confirmed to journalists that Ndume has apologised and expressed regret over the incident.
The APC national chairman also disclosed that the party plans to write the Senate leadership to reconsider its stance on his removal as the 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.”
