Senate Leader Ali Ndume Dumps Saraki, Warns Him Not To Rely On PDP Senators

Indications have emerged that the crisis in the leadership of the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly has taken a turn for the worst as a cold war has started between Saraki and his deputy on one hand, and the Leader of the Senate, Ali Ndume, on the other hand.

Investigations revealed that trouble started when Saraki allegedly discovered that Ndume was not on the same page with him on the crisis he was having with the Presidency.

Ndume is not happy that Saraki has no respect for President Buhari. He’s too arrogant.

A ranking senator, who craved anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue, confided in Punch in the course of the week that Saraki suddenly discovered that Ndume, who was allegedly close to the Presidency, was no longer pleading his case whenever he was in the Villa.
The senator explained that since his emergence as senate leader, Ndume allegedly warned Saraki to be wary of Ekweremadu and senators of PDP who might want to pitch him against the presidency.

He was said to have specifically advised Saraki to avoid any form of confrontation with President Buhari, but should do everything possible to support, so the latter would extend a hand of fellowship to him.

The source said, “The trouble between Saraki and Ndume started when some of Saraki’s ‘men’ in the Villa started feeding the Senate President with reports of how Ndume had allegedly joined members of the Senate Unity Forum to work against him and Ekweremadu.

“Don’t forget, Ndume contested for deputy senate president against Ekweremadu in this Eighth Senate. His initial intention was to be senate president before realignment between him and Saraki made him to settle for deputy senate president.

“It was when Saraki discovered that all attempts by him to see President Buhari did not succeed despite Ndume’s assurances that he started listening to other close colleagues, who advised him to adopt a confrontational strategy against the Presidency.”

Source gathered that Ndume is not ready to quarrel with Saraki but he has advised him to be calm and not allow PDP senators confuse him, because they would dump him when it matters most.