Former member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Moh. Lukman, has criticized the removal of Senator Ali Ndume as the Chief Whip of the Senate. Lukman also expressed concerns about the role played by the party’s leadership, cautioning that the APC is on a self-destructive path ahead of the 2027 elections.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday titled “Fanatical Mindset,” Lukman, the immediate past National Vice Chairman (North-West), argued that any democracy that cannot tolerate criticism is not a true democracy.
The Senate removed Ndume as Chief Whip on Wednesday, replacing him with Sen. Tahir Monguno. This action followed a letter sent to the APC Caucus in the Senate by APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje and National Secretary Sen. Basiru Ajibola, citing Ndume’s unguarded and uncomplimentary comments against the APC-led administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Lukman pointed out that “nowhere in the Constitution of APC is the National Chairman, National Secretary, or any official, or even the National Working Committee, granted the power to summarily remove any principal officer of the National Assembly.”
Questioning the procedure for removing Ndume, Lukman said, “It is very doubtful if members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party are given the benefit of being part of those who took the decision to remove Sen. Ndume as the Chief Whip of the Senate. It is also doubtful if members of the APC Caucus in the Senate were consulted before the decision was taken to both remove Sen. Ndume and appoint Sen. Monguno as his replacement.
“It is simply an action taken by party leaders with a fanatical mindset, blocking any attempt to scrutinize the President and actions taken either directly by him or by his representatives, in whatever guise.”
Lukman further criticized the APC Senate Caucus for accommodating the party’s request, arguing that their actions have set a precedent that undermines the independence of the National Assembly.
He accused Sen. Godswill Akpabio of diminishing the Senate Chamber to the status of a government parastatal. Lukman contended that the APC’s leadership under Dr. Ganduje, by directing the removal of principal officers for criticizing President Tinubu’s government, exemplifies the fanatical mindset that undermines Nigerian democracy.
“Any democracy that cannot accommodate criticism is no democracy. A democracy that subverts fair hearing is a dictatorship. A democracy that permits a ruling party to demobilize its organs and inadvertently expel its members is worse than a military government,” Lukman asserted.
TheNation