Politics
Bwala accuses Senator Ndume of plans to defect from APC
By Francesca Hangeior
The special adviser to the president on policy communication, Daniel Bwala, has accused Senator Ali Ndume of planning to defect from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to join the opposition coalition.
Bwala made the allegations amid ongoing political tension between both men.
The accusation comes after Ndume, the longest-serving lawmaker in the National Assembly since 1999, criticised President Bola Tinubu’s emergency declaration in Rivers State. Ndume suggested the president should instead declare a state of emergency on security and the economy.
In a move seen as politically symbolic, Ndume also stated that Tinubu should be concerned if former President Muhammadu Buhari is no longer in support of his administration. His comments came shortly after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other opposition figures paid a visit to Buhari in Kaduna.
Ndume, however, clarified that he is not opposed to Tinubu personally but is critical of some of his policies. He added that he holds the president in high regard and considers him a mentor.
He alleged that Ndume has a history of disloyalty and had engaged in similar conduct in the past.
“Let me tell you today — and I want everybody to hear this, especially the chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje: Senator Ali Ndume’s spirit and soul are with the coalition; it’s only his body that’s still in the APC. He is already on his way out,” Bwala said.
“He did the same thing during his time with Senator Governor Ali Modu Sheriff, when he felt he wasn’t being supported.
“That’s how he moved to the PDP. But before he made that move, he kept meeting with them. All the while, he was there as a snitch.
“He was giving intelligence and information to the other side. Now, the reason I say the national chairman has to be very careful and observant is because he’s dog-whistling for these people. It would be better to handle it the way El-Rufai did.
“El-Rufai just said, ‘I’m leaving.’ You give more honour and credit to el-Rufai because he didn’t stay behind to be a snitch. He left.
“But this one, he claims loyalty. Yet, from a strategic point of view, he thinks, ‘If I stay and keep shooting from within, people will say, Ah, this one is even a member of the party.”
Meanwhile, key opposition leaders, including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Nasir el-Rufai have intensified efforts to form a coalition to challenge Tinubu in 2027. El-Rufai and some of his allies have already defected from the APC to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in preparation for future political realignments.
Delta state Commissioner of Information, Charles Aniagwu, said that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and other Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders in Delta joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) to protect the state’s interest.
Addressing journalists at Government House, Asaba, Aniagwu, said the move was aimed at preserving unity, deepening development, and safeguarding the wellbeing of Deltans.
His words: “The decision was taken to build the bond of love that have existed in our state, to further advance the cause of security and welfare of our people and to a very large extent ensure that development in Delta, because every politics is local, is not truncated.
“And in taking that decision we came to the inevitable conclusion that moving out of the PDP is very very necessary for us to be able to collaborate with our kith and kin and build that state that every Deltan will be proud of.
The commissioner likened the current state of the PDP to palm wine that has lost its taste.
He said: “We believe that what is happening and the state of the PDP is akin to that palm wine whose taste has changed and there was a need for us to change the drinking pattern.
“And that is why this decision has been taken unanimously by leaders and stakeholders of the party.
“By the grace of God, Monday next week, we will be able to make a very big statement after the fact that we are moving into the APC.”
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma have hailed the defection of Delta state Governor, Sheriff goes and his predecessor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa into the ruling APC.
Wike gave the commendation in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and Social Media, Mr Lere Olayinka in Abuja on Wednesday.
Recall Okowa, the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) Vice Presidential candidate in the 2023 election on Wednesday, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Okowa decamped alongside Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta and other PDP stalwarts in the state, collapsing the entire PDP structures in the state to the APC.
Wike described the development as another endorsement of the president’s good governance and commitment to the development of the country.
He called on other Nigerians, who were still sitting on the fence to throw in their support for Tinubu.
According to him, Okowa and Oborevwori open endorsement of Tinubu is a vindication of the position I took in 2023, which was based on the interest of a united Nigeria.
“I commend Okowa and Gov. Oborevwori for this heart-warming decision, which must have been informed by good governance and commitment of President Bola Tinubu to the oneness and development of Nigeria.
“That is what I have always told people to come out and say, not to be running up and down when they have problems.
“They have come out at the right time to show support for Mr President so that the people of Niger Delta can benefit more from the government, and I commend them for it.
“I am particularly happy that what I saw before the 2023 presidential election, others are now seeing and are joining the “Renewed Hope train,” the minister said.
The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has announced a postponement in date of resumption of plenary sittings from April 29 to May 6, 2025.
The announcement was contained in an internal memo dated April 20, 2025, addressed to all senators and signed by the Senate Clerk, Andrew Ogbonna Nwoba.
The memo is reproduced in extenso hereunder:
“Distinguished Senators,
“I am directed to inform you that the resumption of plenary sittings of the Senate, earlier scheduled for Tuesday 29th, April 2025, has been rescheduled to Tuesday, 6th May 2025.
“This postponement is made to allow Distinguished Senators, stay with their constituents, during the International Workers’ Day public holiday, in the first week of May, and to further enhance constituency engagements.
“Distinguished Senators are kindly requested to take note of this postponement, while regretting any inconvenience, the change might have caused.”
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