UPDATE: Senator Ali Ndume who was removed on Tuesday, January 10, 2016 as the senate majority leader is not going down without a fight.
Despite the fact that the APC caucus in the upper chamber has rejected him and chosen a Yobe Senator Ahmed Lawan as new leader, Ndume says he remains the senate leader.
At a press briefing on Tuesday, Ndume described as laughable, the report of his removal.
PREVIOUSLY: The All Progressives Congress, APC, members of the Nigerian Senate have removed Ali Ndume as their leader.
The development was conveyed on Tuesday, January 10, 2016 by Senate President Bukola Saraki who read a letter sent to him by the caucus.
The caucus elected to replace Mr. Ndume with Ahmed Lawan, their letter read by Dr. Saraki said.
The development sets ground for effective removal of Mr. Ndume as Senate Leader.
Addressing journalists after the Senate’s plenary, Mr. Ndume said the decision of the caucus to remove him as leader shocked him.
He said he was oblivious of what led to the decision or where the meeting was held to remove him.
Mr. Ndume’s predicament may be connected with the indictment of the secretary to the government of the federation, Babachir Lawal, and the rejection of Ibrahim Magu as EFCC chairman by the Senate.
Mr. Ndume had claimed the Senate neither rejected nor indicted the officials, prompting a counter reaction by the Senate’s spokesperson, Aliyu Abdullahi.
Following the decision of the APC caucus to effect leadership change, Mr. Saraki may announce Mr. Lawan as the new Senate Leader at the next sitting of the legislators.
This article was originally published on Premium Times.
