Ndume: ‘You’re a sycophantic puppet’ – Amaechi’s ally, Eze slams Akpabio

Erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New People’s Democratic Party (nPDP) and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has said that the measure meted out on Senator Ali Ndume by the Godswill Akpabio-led Senate and the National Working Committee (NWC) amounts to waging a political vendetta against the former Senate Chief Whip.

The lawmaker was sacked from his position as the Senate Chief Whip for conveying the thoughts of Nigerians on the perilous economic crisis that has gripped the country.

Ndume, who spoke in an interview with Arise TV last Thursday, expressed concerns over the lack of appreciable action by President Tinubu in tackling poverty, insecurity, hunger, and other pressing issues threatening the very foundation of Nigeria.

But in a swift reaction, the APC, in a letter read by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, removed the outspoken Senator as a principal member of the Senate and also asked him to resign from the party and join either the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or any of the opposition parties.

Describing Ndume’s ordeal as undeserving, Chief Eze said in a statement made available to reporters on Wednesday:

“Ndume’s removal as Senate Chief Whip marks a watershed in the brewing tension in the country perpetuated by the gamut of policy summersaults and general instability of the Tinubu regime, validating thoughts that the administration is clueless and grossly overwhelmed by the problems it has created for the country.

“Aside from belonging to the class of chieftains who risked life and fortunes to build the APC from the very foundation, Ndume has been vocal on issues of national concern, which is the fulcrum around which his status as a lawmaker revolves.

“As a party that prides itself as a bastion of hope for Nigeria and Nigerians, one would have loved to see the APC leverage Ndume’s revelation to set in motion efforts that would help the Tinubu regime navigate itself out of the mess it has made of the entire system rather than strip him of his position in the Senate.

“Akpabio is a sycophantic puppet who is vindictive against anyone who tells the truth about the Tinubu government and the reality of his ineptitude. I call on Nigerians to begin in earnest to identify those who have presented themselves as clogs on the wheel of the country’s progress.”

The APC chief commended Ndume for his boldness and urged him to “remain undaunted and in high spirits,” assuring him that “Nigerians have seen the sincerity of his heart and are solidly behind him at this trying moment as the country continues to grapple with poverty, hyperinflation, and hunger, which are the notable legacies of the Tinubu administration.”