Borno South Senator, Ali Ndume, says he did not join other members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to endorse President Bola Tinubu for re-election.
Speaking on Sunday, Senator Ndume said things are not looking good for the citizens, and Nigerians are not seeing any hope.
The lawmaker said, despite the defections to the APC, the voters appear dissatisfied with the Tinubu government and only politicians are singing a different tune.
According to him, he was initially at the APC summit, where President Tinubu was endorsed by party members, but when he saw that the purpose of the gathering was to endorse Tinubu for a second term, he left the venue immediately in disagreement.
Ndume said party endorsement is not a guarantee for winning elections, recalling that former President Goodluck Jonathan secured the endorsement of 22 governors of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the 2015 poll, yet he lost his re-election bid to Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ndume, who spoke as a guest on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme, said “things are very bad in the country” at the moment and “Nigerians cannot see any hope, they are doubting the Renewed Hope.”
News360 Info reports that the Borno lawmaker added that he and a few others did not agree with the second term endorsement for Tinubu and warned that the endorsement of people does not mean anything during an election, submitting that he pities the President if he wants to rely on such endorsements as guarantees for electoral victory.
Ndume said, “I was there but that was not why I was there; I was there for a summit and when I realised that it was not a summit and voice vote was put about the endorsement of Mr President, I just left, and that does not mean I am not an APC member. The majority had its way but few of us felt that was not right.
“It happened before, not once, not twice. It happened during Jonathan. That does not mean anything. Politicians are decamping but the people who are the voters are not decamping.
“I hope that he would look back historically and see that the gathering of people to endorse you does not mean anything.
“Jonathan had 22 governors then endorsing him like was done now. And what happened? Jonathan lost woefully. A lot of money was spent. Even the election was shifted but we are not learning our lessons. I pity Mr President.”
