Senator Ali Ndume has issued an apology to the All Progressives Congress (APC) for his recent comments that led to his removal as the Chief Whip of the Senate.
The apology came after Ndume met with the leadership of the APC in Abuja on Tuesday.
Ndume admitted his mistake of publicly voicing his concerns without first consulting the party.
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC, led by Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, summoned Ndume to explain his statements against President Bola Tinubu, which prompted his removal from the Senate Whip position.
After the meeting, Dr. Ganduje expressed the party’s satisfaction with Ndume’s apology and indicated that the NWC would inform the Senate leadership of the development, hoping for a review of their decision.
“We are quite satisfied with his apology. Like he said, we invited him and you know the party is the father of everybody,” Ganduje said.
“We need to resolve it and we are writing to the National Assembly conveying what has transpired between Senator Ndume and the party.”
Ndume was removed from his position after the NWC wrote to the Senate, led by Godswill Akpabio, complaining about Ndume’s comments regarding President Tinubu.
Speaking after the meeting at the APC national secretariat, Ndume conceded that he should have addressed his concerns through the party leadership rather than on national television.
“I actually accepted the mistake of not talking to the party as a last point and I promised the party that all my observations as a senior member of the family should have terminated or ended with the party,” Ndume said.
He emphasised his loyalty to the APC, noting that he had not been expelled from the party and that his comments were made out of patriotism.
“My membership, I have not been expelled, even the party did not say we don’t want you here, because he is my father, the party is my father.
“The only thing the party said is that look if you don’t want this house you can go to any house. Where will I go? This is my house,” he said.
Ndume clarified that his remarks were not intended to insult the President or the party but acknowledged that he should have communicated his concerns internally.
“The President did not take offence, I didn’t insult the President, I didn’t say anything against the party but I left the party out of reaching it on issues,” Ndume explained.
