Borno South Senator, Ali Ndume, on Sunday, distanced himself from the endorsement of President Bola Tinubu for a second term in office. The senator, who has been in the National Assembly for over 20 years, was a guest on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme.
According to him, former President Goodluck Jonathan secured the endorsement of 22 governors of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the 2015 poll, yet he lost his re-election bid to Muhammadu Buhari of the (newly-formed) All Progressives Congress (APC).
On May 22, 2025, 22 APC governors unanimously adopted Tinubu as the APC candidate for the 2027 election. Ndume, a high-ranking APC member, said he did not support the decision of the APC governors as “things are very bad in the country” at the moment.
He lamented the harsh economic situation, the skyrocketing cost of living in the country and the insecurity ravaging parts of Nigeria.
“Nigerians cannot see any hope; they’re doubting the Renewed Hope,” he said, adding that stormed out of the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, when the governors endorsed the President for re-election.
“I was there but that was not why I was there. I was there for a summit and when I realised that it was not a summit and voice vote was put about the endorsement of Mr President, I just left, and that does not mean I am not an APC member.
The majority had its way but few of us felt that was not right. “It happened before, not once, not twice. It happened during Jonathan. That does not mean anything.
Politicians are decamping but the people who are the voters are not decamping. “I hope that he would look back historically and see that the gathering of people to endorse you does not mean anything. “Jonathan had 22 governors then endorsing him like was done now. And what happened? Jonathan lost woefully.
A lot of money was spent. Even the election was shifted; but we are not learning our lessons. I pity Mr President,” he added. Meanwhile, Ndume has denied ever claiming that Tukur Buratai, the former chief of army staff, narrowly escaped a Boko Haram attack.
Ndume was reacting to media reports suggesting he said Buratai was the target of an ambush in Borno State last Friday. Ndume described the reports as a misrepresentation of his comments, noting that it was Buratai Town in Biu Local Government Area – not the person of General Buratai – that was attacked.
“I am surprised that the town Buratai could be misconstrued as the person of Gen Buratai, who incidentally hails from the town,” he said.
“What I said on Channels Television while speaking on security was that: ‘Even two days ago, Buratai (Town) was attacked in front of the operations base in Borno. But the soldiers stood up to them. They burnt down some of our assets.
“‘Normally, these days they burn assets like MineResistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs), tanks, and heavy-duty machine guns.
Sometimes they steal some of the equipment and go with them.’” The former Senate Leader said the security situation in Borno and other regions remains deeply concerning.
“The situation is getting terrible in Borno. The situation is bad in all the six geopolitical zones, except in the South-South,” he added. “Even in the SouthSouth, we are grappling with economic sabotage like oil theft. South West is the only region that is relatively safe.”
