The senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, says he will not challenge his removal as the Chief Whip of the Senate in court.

Ndume was removed as the Senate Chief Whip for criticising President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday, July 17, 2024.

The lawmaker’s removal followed a letter sent to Senate President Godswill Akpabio by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), asking the senator to vacate his position as the Chief Whip of the red chamber.

Ndume recently lamented the inability to access Tinubu, saying the president shut his doors on some ministers and members of the National Assembly.

The senator, while saying that securing financial autonomy for Local Government Areas was the greatest achievement of Tinubu since he assumed office in 2023, added that the president was unaware of existential challenges in the country.

The APC, thereafter, lashed out at Ndume over his declaration that the president had been “caged”.

Speaking in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Friday, July 19, the lawmaker said he could not speak up immediately after his sack because he was mourning the death of a family member.

Senator Ndume said: “Many people have called upon me to take my case to court because due process has not been followed in melting out punishment to me. As I said before, I depend on God; I believe in Allah. I’ve already taken note of this so I am not going to court.

Ndume: I was begged to be Chief Whip after campaigning for Akpabio

“I leave this issue in the court of Almighty Allah. That is all I can say. People should believe in God who does everything. Even if I go to court, it is God that will decide the outcome of the case. I don’t want to waste my time going to court. I leave my case in the hands of Almighty Allah.”

On his criticism of President Tinubu, the lawmaker said: “I did not say anything wrong. And therefore I want to state that I stand by all my statements in the interview I granted.

“So, I know that I’m not wrong. The people are not wrong by speaking the truth and standing by the truth. I pray that the president who by now, I expect the message should have gotten to him, looks at what I have said and takes appropriate measures to eliminate the suffering of the people.”

The senator representing Borno North Senatorial District, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, has since replaced Ndume as the Senate Chief Whip.

The Star