Ali Ndume Criticizes National Assembly, Presidency, and Hints at Political Exit Amid APC Turmoil

Senator Ali Ndume, the lawmaker representing Borno South Senatorial District, has unleashed a barrage of criticism against the National Assembly, the presidency, and the current political direction of Nigeria under the All Progressives Congress (APC). In a candid and forceful interview on Arise Television, the veteran legislator warned of democratic backsliding, described the legislature as a “rubber stamp,” and did not rule out defecting to the opposition should President Bola Tinubu’s government fail to course-correct.

Ndume, a former Chief Whip of the Senate, did not mince words when evaluating the performance of the National Assembly. He lamented that the legislative body has abandoned its core responsibility of checks and balances in favour of aligning blindly with the executive arm of government.

 Turmoil in Zamfara: Over 100 Killed As Civilian Guards Clash With Bandits In Shinkafi Ambush

National Assembly: From Deliberation to Submission

“The Senate is supposed to be a house of deliberation, where people will debate policies and scrutinize the executive,” Ndume said. “That we are not doing now. We are more of an approving institution.”

He further lamented the erosion of democratic structures, asserting that the separation of powers between the executive, legislature, and judiciary has broken down. According to Ndume, government in Nigeria has become “personalised and privatised,” which he believes undermines the democratic framework upon which the nation was built.

This blunt assessment of legislative passivity has rekindled national debates around the independence of parliament and the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic institutions.

Posthumous Gaffe: An Embarrassment to the Presidency

Ndume also used the platform to criticize the recent Democracy Day honours list released by the presidency, which mistakenly included living persons — notably Afenifere leader Pa Reuben Fasoranti and Nigerian icon Edwin Madunagu — in the posthumous category.

Calling the blunder “an embarrassment of the highest order,” Ndume branded it a reflection of incompetence within the administration. “They honoured a living man posthumously. Two people. This is not just an error — it is stupidity,” he said.

He demanded accountability for the mistake and argued that, had he been president, those responsible would have been immediately sacked. “If I was the president, whoever is responsible for that, I will fire him and get somebody that knows the job.”

A Troubled APC and a Possible Political Exit

Perhaps most strikingly, Ndume signaled growing disillusionment with the APC, the ruling party he helped consolidate over the years. While noting that he still believes President Tinubu has the potential to steer the country in the right direction, he warned that continued failure may force him to abandon the party.

“I’m aware of the opposition coalition. I went to several of their meetings,” he revealed. “I still believe this president can fix things, but failure might cause me to move. The overloaded ship will sink.”

He criticized the ongoing wave of defections into the APC, asserting that many new entrants are motivated by personal ambition rather than ideological alignment. This, he warned, is a dangerous trend that could destabilize the party. “As the president said, there is a vacancy in the ship. But if you overload the ship, it will probably capsize, and if it capsizes, you lose everybody.”

Ndume described the APC’s politics as devolving into “stick-and-carrot” games, lacking in principle. “Most people are not joining based on principles but for personal gain. That is not healthy at all.”

The Abandonment of Rotimi Amaechi

Touching on internal rifts within the APC, Ndume recounted how President Tinubu had initially expressed interest in reconciling with former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, following the 2023 elections. Ndume, who served as the Director-General of Amaechi’s presidential campaign, recalled efforts to arrange a meeting that ultimately never took place.

“Tinubu, the Governor of Lagos, and the current Minister of Defence wanted to meet with me and Amaechi after the election,” Ndume said. “We agreed to meet after I returned from Hajj. But that meeting never happened. That was how they abandoned Amaechi.”

Amaechi, now part of an emerging opposition coalition aiming to challenge Tinubu in the 2027 elections, has become a vocal critic of the current administration.

Ndume, now 65 with over two decades of political experience, said he has nothing left to fear and vowed to continue speaking truth to power. “God has given me everything. The only thing I have to do right now, and I am prepared to die doing it, is to speak the truth and do what is right.”

As Nigeria continues to wrestle with economic hardship, insecurity, and political uncertainty, Ndume’s warnings and willingness to break ranks underscore the growing fissures within the APC and the broader political landscape.