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From Fred Itua, Abuja
Days after the Chief Whip of the Senate, Mohammed Ali Ndume, complained that certain individuals were preventing people from seeing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, strong indications have emerged that a plot is thickening to axe the Borno South lawmaker as a principal officer of the 10th upper legislative chamber.
Already, the individuals who are plotting to move against Ndume, without President Tinubu’s blessings, have put the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio in a serious dilemma.
Ndume is the second ranking senator from the North targeted by Tinubu’s men, both in the Villa and in the Senate. In March, Abdul Ningi was suspended
Ndume was the Director-General of the Stability Group which ensured the victory Akpabio as President of the Senate in June 2023.
According to multiple sources, moving against Ndume could polarise the Stability Group and reinforce the sinister impression that Akpabio is a willing tool in the hands of Tinubu.
The sources further revealed that certain senators from the South West known as Tinubu’s boys in the Senate who ensured that Ningi was suspended despite entreaties from their colleagues are putting Akpabio under pressure to submit to the demand to deal with Ndume.
Two pronged punishments are being considered. First, it was gathered that Akpabio has been told to orchestrate his removal as Senate Chief Whip and Senate Committee so that Ndume would be removed as vice chairman of the Committee on Appropriation.
The sources named four senators and a former Speaker of the House of Representatives as the arrowheads behind the sinister move to oust Ndume, who is seen as a strong supporter of President Tinubu.
Three out of the four senators are from the South West states of Ekiti, Ogun and Lagos. The other senator is from Kogi State.
However, it has been gathered that Northern senators have warned against another plan to distabilise the caucus, barely a few months after Ningi was suspended.
One of the senators said Ndum didn’t criticise Tinubu, but only raised an alarm that he was being prevented from meeting with people who may tell the President the realities on ground.
Meanwhile, non-political group, Concerned Northern Forum (CNF), has thrown its weight behind Ndume
In a press statement signed and issued to newsmen by the coordinator of the CNF, Mallam Abdulkadir Kura, a copy which was made available to newsmen on Monday, revealed that the group has no linkage with Senator Ndume, as it is non-political, but it will always stand for any Northerner who has courage in defending the masses, as enshrined in the constitution of the NCF.
Kura insisted that Ndume has spoken the minds of average Nigerians who have been under serious economic hardship since the removal of the fuel subsidy and other anti-people policies of the present administration.
The group also called on all and sundry to resort to prayers for God Almighty to have mercy on the land and rescue Nigerians from the clutches of ‘hunger and insecurity’ that have characterised the whole system.
He said: “We members of CNF deem it necessary to address some of the issues that surrounded the interview Senator Ndume had with Arise TV last Thursday. In that interview, Ndume came clear without recourse to political affiliation and said nothing but the truth.
“Although, this was not the first time the Chief Whip criticised or challenged policies of the federal government, as he has done so consistently during the past administration of former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, such criticisms by Ndume have led to positive changes by the listening governments at that time.
“Presently, it is true that millions of Nigerians cannot even have two square meals a day due to exorbitant rises in the prices of foods items such as common Gari, Maize, tomatoes etc, and most importantly, people cannot sleep with their two eyes closed due to insecurity, such as kidnapping, Banditry, terrorism among other criminalities in the land.
“We however found it unfortunate and condemnable that some people, particularly those who have been milking from the national cake under the present administration join forces in attacking Ndume’s truthful and realistic statement on the current situation in the land.
“It is on record that Ndume is a critical stakeholder of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and a close ally of President Tinubu, therefore, if he can take such a bold step in saying the truth about the economic and social reality on the ground, then the Southern Borno Senator need to be celebrated by all and sundry, just like the NCF strongly backed him in all ramifications.”
