Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, has warned that he may abandon the All Progressives Congress (APC) if President Bola Tinubu does not address Nigeria’s mounting challenges.
Speaking on Arise Television on Tuesday, Ndume expressed frustration with the Tinubu administration’s trajectory, stating, “If I decide to leave the APC, I will not hide it.”
While maintaining faith in Tinubu’s potential to lead effectively, Ndume stressed that urgent action is needed to reverse the country’s decline. “I still believe President Tinubu can fix things, but failure to do so may force me to leave the APC,” he said.
Ndume also raised concerns about the influx of defectors joining the APC, warning that their lack of ideological commitment could destabilize the party.
“If Tinubu continues this way, loading the party with more governors or defectors without principle, the APC risks capsizing like an overloaded ship,” he cautioned.
The senator criticized the growing trend of opportunistic defections, arguing that such moves undermine democracy.
“Jumping ship without conviction weakens our democracy and endangers Nigeria’s future,” he said, warning that the APC could face a political implosion if it continues to admit unprincipled entrants.
Despite overtures from an emerging opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 elections, Ndume affirmed his current loyalty to the APC, conditional on the party correcting its course. “I believe this president has the capacity to fix things, but if nothing changes, I will reconsider. I won’t go down with a sinking ship,” he declared.
Reflecting on his own political journey, Ndume defended his past party switches as circumstantial, not opportunistic, and reiterated his support for former Minister Rotimi Amaechi, whom he believes possesses strong leadership qualities.
Ndume also slammed the National Assembly for becoming a rubber-stamp body, lacking the independence to check the executive. He warned that this erosion of legislative autonomy threatens effective governance.
On security, Ndume criticized Tinubu’s handling of regional diplomacy as ECOWAS chairman, particularly the failure to resolve tensions in Niger and Burkina Faso, which have withdrawn from the bloc.
He linked this to worsening insecurity in Nigeria’s border states, where militant groups exploit regional instability. “Instead of leveraging Nigeria’s elder statesmen for diplomacy, the President relied on a close circle, weakening our leadership in West Africa,” Ndume said.
Defiant against efforts to dismiss him as a “frustrated lone wolf” by a presidential aide, Ndume vowed to continue speaking truth to power.
“I’m not dependent on anyone. I have a duty to my conscience and my country, and I will speak out, even if I stand alone,” he asserted.
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