Ndume and Goje face possible expulsion from the APC if they stand against Lawan for senate president

SENATORS Ali Ndume and Danjuma Goje face the threat of being expelled from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) if they do not drop their bids to become senate president according to one of their colleagues just re-elected to the ninth senate.

On May 29, the ninth National Assembly will be sworn-in and the first task it will face will be to elect its leaders. With the APC deciding to zone the position of senate president to the northeast geo-political zone, senate majority leader Ahmad Lawan from Yobe North Senatorial District has emerged as the front runner having secured the backing of party leaders but he is facing a stiff fight from some of his colleagues.

Senators Ali Ndume from Borno South Senatorial District and Danjuma Goje representing Gombe Central Senatorial District have both indicated that they will be seeking the office too. So far, all attempts by APC leaders to get both men to stand down have proved abortive and party leaders now fear that if one of them teams up with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), they could defeat Senator Lawan.

Pointing out that this would be unacceptable, Senator Abu Ibrahim, representing the Katsina South District Senatorial District, hinted that if the two senators stand against the party's choice, they could be expelled from the APC. Senator Ibrahim a former deputy minority chief whip of the senate, said that any member of the APC who dares the party’s decision and connives with PDP will be shown the way out of the party.

Senator Ibrahim said: “First of all, we have to remind ourselves that it is a political party which gives an individual the ticket to participate in an election. Once such a ticket is given, it is the caucus of the party in the National Assembly that will determine the emergence of candidate that eventually becomes the leader of the senate through voting.

“Specifically, the party decides which zone should produce candidate for the position and when such decision is taken every member must abide by that decision. No one can come out of a caucus meeting to say he would not accept the decision of the party on such election process.

“As a loyal party member anyone who dares the party’s decision and come out to connive with PDP to truncate the decision of the party will be expelled from the party. As a matter of fact, if the party gives a ticket to an individual and he/she is assisted with resources to contest and win election, the person must naturally obey the rules of the party at all times."

He added that in a democracy, once you choose a party, you must abide by the rules of that party at all times or else you leave. According to senator Ibrahim, there will be no need for individuals who disobey the party decision and remain in such a party as that is an act of indiscipline which no party should condone.