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“Saraki Betrayed Me”: Ndume Opens Up On Senate Politics
I was removed as Senate leader and later suspended for eight months without salary
Abuja, Nigeria- Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, has accused former Senate President Bukola Saraki of betrayal, claiming he was suspended from the 8th Senate and later removed as Chief Whip in the current 10th Senate for “speaking the truth.”
Ndume, in an interview with Deutsche Welle (DW) Hausa service, revealed how his support for Saraki’s emergence as Senate President in 2015 allegedly backfired.
“I was removed as Senate leader and later suspended for eight months without salary. It riled me up because we played a crucial role in the emergence of Saraki, but he betrayed me,” Ndume stated.
Reflecting on his removal as Chief Whip, Ndume said, “I was recently sacked for speaking the truth. But it is now a thing of the past. And as I watch, Allah in his mercy is avenging the betrayal.”
The senator expressed concern over the state of democracy in Nigeria, lamenting the persistent suffering of poor citizens despite his efforts to advocate for their welfare. “Democracy has lost its essence in the country,” he added.
“I’m deeply troubled that, despite dedicating myself to improving the welfare of ordinary people and hoping for real change in their lives, this goal remains unfulfilled.
“We had high hopes during Buhari’s administration, and again with the current government, believing that the sacrifices of the poor would eventually lead to better days. But here we are, and I worry because I, too, come from humble beginnings.
“Today’s government has become more about individuals than the people. A democratic government should be of the people, for the people, and by the people—but that’s far from what we’re seeing now,” Ndume added.
