Senator Mohammed Monguno (APC-Borno North) has replaced Senator Ali Ndume (APC-Borno South) as the Chief Whip of the Senate.
This announcement was made in a letter from the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, to Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The letter, titled “Complaints Against the Unbecoming Utterances of Sen. Ali Ndume,” was read by Akpabio during the Senate plenary on Wednesday.
In the letter, Abdullahi Ganduje and Ajibola Basiru, the APC’s national secretary, nominated Senator Monguno to replace Ndume. The APC accused Ndume of making harmful comments against the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
“You have been making uncouth and rabid outbursts against the government before the international community which is not only harmful to the government’s image, but its effort to bring in foreign direct investments (FDIs),” the letter stated.
“We are of the opinion that Mohammed Tahir Monguno should immediately replace Senator Ali Ndume who is bent on bringing down the country as the majority whip of the senate.”
Following this, Akpabio announced Ndume as chair of the Senate committee on tourism. Adeniyi Adegbonmire, Senator representing Ondo Central, was named the new chair of judiciary and legal matters. Monguno had previously chaired the legal committee before his nomination as Chief Whip.
What Got Ndume into Trouble
In an interview with BBC Hausa on July 10, Ndume alleged that some ministers and lawmakers could no longer reach President Tinubu to relay the prevailing economic hardship and hunger in the land.
“The major problem with this government is that its doors are closed, to the extent that even some ministers cannot see the president,” he said.
“Not to mention members of the national assembly who do not have the opportunity to meet with him and discuss the issues affecting their constituencies.”
Ndume repeated these claims in an interview with Arise TV on July 12, asserting that former President Muhammadu Buhari was a more accessible leader. Ndume accused the president’s aides of “shielding and fencing in” their principal from lawmakers and ministers.
