Some leaders from Borno South yesterday stormed Abuja protesting against the removal of their senator, Mohammed Ali Ndume, as Chief Whip of the Senate.
The protesters who were carrying banners and placards with different inscriptions such as ‘We seek justice for Senator Ndume’, ‘Senator Ndume, your next election is guaranteed’ appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other senators to reinstate Ndume.
Ndume was removed for criticising President Tinubu-led government following a letter transmitted to the Senate by the national leadership of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He was also stripped of his position as Vice Chairman Senate Committee on Appropriations. Ndume was replaced by Senator Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North).
But the protesters under the aegis of Borno South Development Association who stormed the Unity Fountaining in Abuja, yesterday said Ndume’s sack from his positions was not democratic as he was not given the benefit of fair hearing.
Leader of the protesters, Muhamad Ibrahim Biu, told newsmen that Ndume’s removal as chief whip is not in the interest of Borno South and Nigeria at large, stressing that justice should be done.
“We feel Senator Ndume was not given the benefit of fair hearing, and what he did say is not something new because other senators of the APC have also expressed similar views on the floor of the Senate.
“His position as the Chief Whip is the only position that Southern Borno has at the National Assembly and even at the federal level. So we feel surcharged by his removal.
“We therefore appeal to the Senate, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Senate President Godswill Akpabio to reconsider that decision taking into consideration the contribution of Senator Ndume in the National Assembly over the years in the interest of fairness and justice,” he said.
In a letter dated July 23, addressed to the Senate President Godswill Akpabio, signed by Chairman and Secretary of the Southern Borno Development Association (SBDA), Muhammad Ibrahim Biu and Abdullahi D. Muhammad respectively, the protesters said, “Senator Ndume’s unique style of sagacious frankness and brutal honesty is not only valued by the people of Southern Borno but Nigerians in general.”
The Chairman Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu (APC, Ekiti South), could not be reached for comments at press time.
