Politicians across the country have said that the recent removal of Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South as the majority leader was in the interest of the country’s democracy.
The Point learnt that the Senate had on Tuesday received a letter from All Progressives Caucus removing Ndume as its leader.
It was also gathered that the action, which the sacked majority leader did not condemn, was allegedly to pacify Senator Ahmed Lawan, who was the party’s preferred candidate for the senate presidency in 2015.
There have been speculations that the sudden sack of Ndume was executed by a group of the party’s senators displeased with the political drama that played itself out in the red chamber at the beginning of the 8th Senate.
It was also gathered from a source that a similar fate may befall the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, whose assumption of office was said to be against the wish of the majority of the senators.
While speaking on his sack, Ndume warned that the deputy senate president should be on his guard as the forces that saw to his exit might also come after him, too.
Speaking on the development, a national leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, who pleaded anonymity, said that Ndume’s removal was in the interest of democracy.
According to him, “Though it is an APC affair, I don’t see any politics in his removal. If they see that he’s not competent enough, there is nothing wrong in stepping him down for another person.”
He, however, opposed the speculation that the lawmakers’ action was to pacify Senator Ahmed Lawan, who did not succeed in being elected as the Senate president in 2015.
“Lawan does not belong to the Tinubu camp in the party and I don’t see what happened at the Senate as a move to pacify him and his people,” he said.
Senator Gbenga Ashafa, while speaking with our correspondent, said that the decision by the Senate did not have any ulterior motive.
“The decision is not for any other reason, but for good. It is in the interest of democracy and as we can all see that the former majority leader did not kick against it,” Ashafa said.
Publicity Secretary of the APC in Lagos State, Joe Igbokwe, said that Ndume’s removal as senate majority leader might later result in something that would be a big surprise to the people.
“You see, on this issue, I’ll tell you to wait until we get to the fullest and where we want to go. Though I am from Lagos State, people should leave us in APC to handle our internal issue. It is part of the process. Some of these things are the processes that we want. So, anything is happening is for the good of the party. I don’t really know what gave birth to that, but I believe it’s for the good of the party and the nation,” Igbokwe said.
