Leaders of the Southern Borno Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), have implored the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to restore Sen. Mohammed Ali Ndume, to his position as Chief Whip.
While expressing support for Ndume for speaking truth to power, the APC leaders noted that there was absolutely nothing wrong with his decision to draw President Bola Tinubu’s attention to the hardship being faced by fellow citizens.
Spokesperson for the APC leaders, Baba Ahmed Mustapha, said this at a press conference, in Abuja, on Friday.
While urging the national leadership of the APC to reinstate Ndume, Mustapha said, “We call on the leadership of the APC and the Senate to reinstate Ndume as the Chief Whip of the Senate. Ndume has no plans to leave the party and we therefore urge them to reinstate him.”
They also condemned a recent verbal attack against Ndume by one Mr. Daniel Bwala, whom they described as an inconsistent fellow whose political antecedents “are so legendary.”.
Mustapha said, “We appreciate and respect Daniel Bwala’s right to express his opinion on any issue as guaranteed by the Constitution just as the Senator when he knew that the observations made are within the bounds of the Constitution.
“As a learned lawyer, he knew that the provision of section 39 which guarantees the freedom of expression is applicable to all citizens. We make no excuses for the Senator. As a being, he has deficiencies. As a politician, he may not have lived up to people expectations. But we are proud that he has stood up to be counted when it matters most.
“He refused to behave like the ostrich, who, seeing the approaching the storm, buries it’s head in the sand. His statement was made within the context of a call for a proactive action by the government rather than an instigation against it.
“He would have kept silent and enjoy the privileges bestowed by his office has he wished. But as a politician to whom the welfare of the people is always of utter most concern, and conscious of the burden imposed on him by history, he never forgot the words of Frantz Fanon, the Algerian Revolutionary who said, ‘the future will no pity for those who, possessing the exceptional privilege of being able to speak words of truth have taken refuge in an attitude of indifference and sometimes cold complicity.’
“Daniel Bwala has taken upon responsibility of denigrating the senator and accusing of not living up to the expectations of his constituents including grandstanding, we can present no better and stronger proof other than his consistent elections as a member of House of Representatives and later on as a senator since 2003.
“The senator has empowered many constituents but as a person not being given to public and private display of generosity, the impacts of his empowerment programmes has been manifested in his consistent reelection.
“There can be no better testimony than this. If Daniel Bwala feels otherwise, he is free to brave the field. After all, 2027 is not far. In all decent societies, consistency is always an attribute of “Men of Honour” who stood by what they and what they do. But can the accuser fit bill?
“It is not only amazing but baffling that Bwala who established a reputation for pouring scorn on President Tinubu is trying to be his ardent defender.”
They wondered why Bwala who once accused President Tinubu of ruling “with a stolen mandate and (that) the Gods of the land are against his leadership’.
“It has not been forgotten that immediately after the primaries of the All Progressive Party (APC) at which President Tinubu emerged as the Presidential candidate of the Party and picked Sen. Kashim Shettima as his running mate, Daniel Bwala reacted by quitting the party despite the fact that Kashim is proudly from Borno.
“The same Daniel Bwala on another occasion on Arise News, about a year ago, on the, said “the Tinubu and the APC are suffering from Pamtophobia on 18th Jan, 2023. With such an inconsistent political career guided more by personal considerations rather than Patriotism, could anything be the reason or is he looking for patronage?
The party leaders however said, “Sen. Ndume has been consistent in his political career and has been bold enough to accept his mistakes when and where pointed out. Public interest rather than private has always pushed his political course.”
