Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South in the National Assembly, has revealed that he may leave the All Progressives Congress (APC) if President Bola Tinubu fails to improve the state of the country.
Ndume made this statement during an interview on Arise Television on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. According to him, while he still has hope that Tinubu can fix things, he won’t remain in a party that is sinking.
The lawmaker said he has already attended several meetings with opposition coalitions working to unseat the president. He explained that he has not fully joined them yet, but their offers are on the table. “I went to several of their meetings. I still believe this president can fix these things, but failure might cause me to move,” he said. “The overloaded ship will sink,” he added, referring to the APC’s growing internal problems.
Ndume expressed concern that many politicians are joining the ruling party not based on ideology or beliefs, but because of pressure and benefits. He described these defections as “indirect stick-and-carrot politics,” which he said is dangerous and not healthy for the nation’s democracy.
The senator also criticised some of President Tinubu’s appointments, saying they ignore the federal character principle in Nigeria’s constitution. He reminded the president of Section 14(3), which calls for fairness in appointing people from different parts of the country. According to Ndume, the current pattern is unfair and may lead to more problems if not corrected.
Ndume has been very outspoken in recent months. He was earlier removed as Senate Chief Whip after publicly criticising Tinubu. He also claimed the president is surrounded by people who are preventing him from seeing the real hardship and hunger in the country. His comments have not gone down well with some APC members, and the party has reportedly asked the Senate to push for his resignation.
Despite the pressure, Ndume insists he is only doing his job as a senator. He said his criticism is not out of hatred for the president but out of concern for the country. “I believe in holding leaders accountable. If Tinubu does well, I will support him. But if things continue like this, I may have to find another platform to speak for my people,” he concluded.
