July 24, 2024
Protesters under the banner of Southern Borno Development Association (SBDA) on Wednesday, July 24, stormed the Unity Fountain with placards bearing inscriptions calling for justice, fairness, and reinstatement of Ndume
The supporters of former Majority Whip of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume, staged the peaceful protest in Abuja to register their displeasure over his removal.
Ndume was recently removed as Majority Whip following a complaint by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over his comments in an interview that the party considered distasteful.
The leader of the group and Secretary of the SBDA, Muhammad Ibrahim Biu, claimed that Ndume was not given a fair hearing before he was sacked.
He called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to temper justice with mercy and reinstate Ndume, who is their major benefactor.
Biu, while addressing reporters during the protest, said: “We express our displeasure over the issue that the Senate decided to strip Senator Ndume of his position as the Majority Whip of the Senate.
READ MORE; Breaking: APC sacks Ndume as Senate Chief Whip.
“That decision was based on the decision of the Senate on a complaint from the national chairman of the APC.
“We felt Senator Ndume was not given a fair hearing and what Senator Ndume said is not something new, because other senators of the APC have also expressed similar views on the floor of the Senate.
Everybody knows Senator Ndume will be frank on all issues that concern Nigerians and he gave the President suggestions on what to do.
“Secondly, we from Southern Borno Senatorial District, Senator Ndume’s position as the majority whip, is the only position that Southern Borno has in the National Assembly and even at the federal level.
“So we feel short-changed by the removal of Senator Ali Ndume from that position. We are therefore appealing to the Senate President and the Senate to reconsider their decisions, taking into consideration the contributions of Senator Ndume in the National Assembly in the last 20 years.
“We therefore appeal passionately to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio and all other senators to reconsider this decision in the interest of fairness and justice.
“We also appeal to the Senate President in particular, that there is no way you can throw the baby and the bath water away.
Senator Ndume is a beacon in the Senate and everybody knows that. So we are appealing to the Senate to reconsider their decision.
