The former chief whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, revealed that he has apologised to the All Progressives Congress (APC) over his comments about President Bola Tinubu on a live television programme.
News About Nigeria reported that in an interview with Arise TV, the Senator stated that Tinubu was caged and was being prevented from knowing the hardships that Nigerians were going through.
Following this claim, Ndume was removed as the Senate’s Chief Whip and immediately replaced by the Senator representing Borno North, Tahir Monguno.
While addressing journalists after a two-hour closed-door meeting with members of the APC’s National Working Committee (NWC) at its secretariat in Abuja, Ndume noted that, though he has tendered an unreserved apology to the party, he stands by what he told Nigerians in the interview.
The Senator 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.”
Speaking on his membership to the ruling party, Ndume noted that he is still a bonafide member of the APC.
The lawmaker further debunked rumours making the rounds that he has been expelled from the APC, saying, “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.”
