The Labour Party has condemned the removal of Senator Ali Ndume as the Chief Whip of the Senate, which took place on Wednesday.
Following his removal, Ndume was replaced by Senator Tahir Monguno, representing Borno North.
The decision was based on a directive from the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Umar Ganduje, and the National Secretary, Senator Bashir Ajibola.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, put the request to a voice vote, which was loudly affirmed by all APC senators.
Reacting to the development, the Labour Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, issued a statement in Abuja expressing deep concerns about the current political climate in Nigeria.
Ifoh highlighted that Ndume’s removal is part of a disturbing trend where speaking truth to power is becoming increasingly criminalized in Nigeria.
“The crime of Senator Ndume was his bold expression of his concerns regarding the escalating cost of living and food scarcity in Nigeria and his revelation that President Bola Tinubu has chosen to play the ostrich even in the face of acute starvation being witnessed in Nigeria,” Ifoh stated.
Ifoh went on to criticize the broader implications of this action, pointing to a pattern of suppression and intimidation against those who dare to speak out against the government’s failings.
He cited the suspension and intimidation of Senator Abdul Ningi, who exposed alleged budget padding by the Senate leadership and executive collaborators, as another example of this worrying trend.
“It is needless talking about the economic crisis ongoing in Nigeria even where a few cabal members are massively enriching themselves. The National Bureau of Statistics recently said that food inflation has risen to 40.66 per cent.
“Even with all these glaring challenges, the government is said to have paid about N150b for a presidential jet and building roads that have no direct bearing on the economic crises in Nigeria,” Ifoh added.
He also expressed concern over the growing climate of fear among media practitioners, who he said are increasingly reluctant to report the facts due to the threat of emasculation and incarceration.
“This is a tyranny of a cabal against a legislative autonomy. Nigeria is gradually descending into dictatorship and we are calling on the citizens to be on alert and put up a defence against the starvation weapon being deployed by this administration,” Ifoh warned.
