The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday requested that Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno South, resign from the party.
The party also requested that the senator step down as the Senate’s chief whip.
The APC made the requests in a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The letter was read aloud in the upper legislative chamber during plenary.
Abdullahi Ganduje, national chair of the APC, and Ajibola Basiru, national secretary of the party, have chosen Tahir Monguno, senator representing Borno North, to succeed Ndume.
The APC accused Ndume of harsh comments about President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The letter reads:
“You have been making uncouth and rabid outbursts against the government before the international community which is not only harmful to the government’s image but its effort to bring in foreign direct investments (FDIs).”
“We are of the opinion that Mohammed Tahir Monguno should immediately replace senator Ali Ndume who is bent on bringing down the country as the majority whip of the senate.”
Akpabio then named Ndume as chair of the Senate Committee on Tourism.
Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire, who represents Ondo Central, has been named the new chair of judiciary and legal matters.
Prior to his nomination as chief whip, Monguno chaired the legal committee.
In an interview with BBC Hausa on July 10, Ndume claimed that several ministers and lawmakers are no longer able to communicate with Tinubu about the country’s economic difficulties and hunger.
He said:
“The major problem with this government is that its doors are closed, to the extent that even some ministers cannot see the president.”
“Not to mention members of the national assembly who do not have the opportunity to meet with him and discuss the issues affecting their constituencies.”
Ndume made the allegation in an interview with Arise TV on July 12, claiming that former President Muhammadu Buhari was a more accessible leader.
Ndume accused presidential aides of “shielding and fencing in” their principal from lawmakers and ministries.