“Atiku Is Not A Threat” — Ndume Says APC Has Serious, Tested Strategy For North-East

Senator Ali Ndume has dismissed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as a major threat to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the North-East, saying the party has a serious, tested strategy ahead of the next election.

Ndume spoke as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he was asked why he thinks Atiku is not a threat to Vice President Kashim Shettima, who is from his home zone.

“No, it’s not a threat as such. He is a son of the North East. He is an opponent in the North East. It’s from Adamawa State,” Ndume said.

Asked if Atiku does not have a stronghold in neighbouring states like Bauchi, Ndume said he respects Atiku and other opposition leaders.

“You see, Atiku and all other leaders in the opposition are people that I respect because politics has its limits. Politics does not, for me morally, does not allow me to run down anybody,” he said.

He recalled the last election and a by-election in one of the local governments, asking who won.

The interviewer pressed him that in the last election, two sons of the North-East — Shettima and Atiku — contested, and Shettima was expected to bring the votes, but APC lost five of the six North-East states except Borno.

“No, he brought it… In Borno he brought in Borno,” Ndume said.

Asked what would be different this time around, Ndume said: “We cannot disclose it to you now.”

“We have a serious strategy,” he added.

Asked if he thinks the strategy can work, he said: “Yeah, it will work. We have tested it in some few states. In the north.”

On security, Ndume, a major proponent of giving the military money and fixing insecurity, was asked if anything is different under Tinubu.

“Ah, yes, seriously. I’m just coming back from Gwoza. I went into Gwoza without escort. Recently. The day before yesterday, I was there on Friday, I prayed my prayers in Gwoza. I left there and went to Gwoza without escort,” he said.

He explained that the only reason he could not travel at night was because there is no effective surveillance equipment, and the military are mindful that Boko Haram and insurgents can plant IEDs, so they have to scan the road.

He urged the government to give the military money to buy scanning equipment and mine detectors.

“They don’t have it now. They do it manually. Up to now they do it manually. So, instead of me, before, I could have left Gwoza at 6:00 in the morning because I have a commitment in Maiduguri, I could not leave until they finished scanning the road. Before they finish, it was 11:00. So before I go to Maiduguri, it was over after 2:00,” Ndume said.

Asked if there is a difference now, he said: “Big difference. Military welfare. Big difference. Armament and equipment.”

“When this government of Bola Tinubu took over, a private was paid 49,000 per month. I came here and complained. Now a private is receiving 187,000 per month. Another achievement,” he said.

“Before Tinubu took over there was no military Air Force aviation. Now they have an Air Force operation. Recently, they paid for 12 Apache helicopters and they are on their way. They have acquired various platforms,” Ndume added.

“When somebody does something, you have to appreciate it. When somebody does something wrong again, me, I’ll come here and say it. You know that,” he said.