Senate Majority Leader, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume said the the truth about his party asking him to resign his position as the Leader of the senate is an impression created within the presidency that their exist a division in the senate
He said: “The truth about it is that there is the Presidency that there is still division among APC senators. Somebody is saying unless A, B,C is done we can’t have peace. But you can see from the proceedings in the Senate that people are not complaining. Nobody has complained about by conduct as Senate leader, not even the opposition PDP. Therefore, for somebody to ask me to resign, it’s uncalled for. How did I become Senate Leader? Nine out of 12 Senators from the North-East caucus in the Senate endorsed my nomination. Then, 36 Senators from APC Caucus endorsed my nomination. Also, 84 Senators out of 108 passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of the Senate, including myself. How can one person, no matter how highly placed (with due respect), would call me just to say ‘relinquish that mandate’ that was given to me by my colleagues. I’m 55 years, and have contested election up to the Senate level. Beside that, I’m representing Borno South. This Senate Leadership belongs to Borno South, but I’m the one in custody of it. So, I’m just a custodian and I’m asked to relinquish the position it is unfair. There is no constitutional provision in APC, which says, at one point, a person to resign for another, or that one person is preferred as leader over the other. It is the Caucus of the geopolitical zone in the Senate who decides. The party can zone a position, but it can’t dictate who should be given such a position.”
Ndume, who spoke to selected journalists at the weekend said some of his colleagues has warned him not to consider the option of resignation
Senator Ndume said “Since this issue came up, my colleagues have been warning me against caving in and resigning in the name of peace deal. Let me add that the Vice President asked me to resign. Mr. Vice President invited me for a discussion because they were made to believe that there is crisis in the Senate, and that part of the solution is that there must be sacrifice. But I’ve already been elected before the letter giving the preferred candidates for the position of Senate Leader was sent to the Senate by the APC. The only condition under which there could be a change in the leadership of the Senate after one has been elected is only when the person is incompetent, unwanted or corrupt. Salisu Buhari was asked to resign because of his certificate scandal. Former Senate President Adolphus Wabara was asked to resign because of corruption allegation…But in my case I’ve not done anything to warrant me to resign the position I hold in the Senate. There is even a group in Borno State who have threatened me that if I gave up the position of Senate Leader which I hold in trust for them, I should not return to Maiduguri.”
He said no offer was made to him, “The Vice President called me to a meeting and said we hear that there is disunity in the Senate because of how the leadership is composed and that some sacrifices have to be made. Then, I told him, we didn’t have any problem in the Senate that would require my resignation. I added that if we had any problem, it’s the senators that would demand that I should resign, not the party. But they can’t ask me to resign, unless there is evidence that I’ve done something wrong that would warrant such steps. I will be given the chance to defend myself of any allegation made against me, and the case is carefully considered and I’m found guilty before I can resign. As I’ve said, this is not my case. Since the rumour about the pressure on me to resign, people have reacted severally, but I’m encouraged that I’m asked not to succumb to pressures. Even Senator Lawan, who is the leader of the other group has not personally asked me or even gone out in the media to request that I step down for him. Those who assume there is disunity in the Senate did not even say Lawan went to them to complain about any problem.
