Former Senate Chief Whip, Senator Ali Ndume, has rejected his appointment as Chairman Senate Committee on Tourism.

SolaceBase reports that Senate President Godswill Akpabio gave Ndume the new position after his removal as chief whip of the 10th Senate on Wednesday. 

Reacting to the development during a press chat in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, on Friday, Ndume said “I was begged to accept the position of Chief whip knowing fully well that I led the campaign for Akpabio’s Emergence as the senate President and I was begged to choose the committee I wanted and I chose vice Chairman Appropriation committee.  I am not desperate.

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“I learnt that I was given the Chairman of Tourism Committee; nobody wrote to me, but I want to state here clearly that I declined this offer for two reasons; I am not a tourist so I am not interested in accepting the Chairman of Tourism. I am not knowledgeable about Tourism,” he said. 

He, however, insisted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must look into issues that he raised, reiterating that the masses are hungry and angry.

“It is unpatriotic to stand by Mr President with whatever he does, it is patriotic to speak the truth not only to the President but anybody for that matter. It is unpatriotic not to speak the truth to power or anybody and still stand by that.

“In doing so, it is also worthy to note that in Hausa language (Allah ya na tare da mai gaskiya) meaning that God is always on the side of truthful people.

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“I know I am not wrong; the people are not wrong by speaking the truth and by standing by the truth. I expect the president, who I believe that the report has gotten to, to look into what I have said and take appropriate measures to alleviate the suffering.

“People are not happy, people are suffering and angry. Leaders in this country need to take a review; they should get back to me to tell me whether I said anything that is not true or is wrong. It is God that gave me that position and it is God that took it, so I bear no grudge against anyone. Afterall, I didn’t contest to be the Chief Whip, I didn’t contest to be the Vice Chairman appropriation committee, I contested to be the senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”