Daniel Bwala, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, has accused Senator Ali Ndume of preparing to defect from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and join the opposition coalition.
Bwala made these statements during his appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, as tensions continue to rise between him and Ndume.
The accusation comes after Ndume, the longest-serving lawmaker in Nigeria’s National Assembly since 1999, criticized President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
Ndume argued that the president should focus on declaring a state of emergency on national security and the economy instead.
Ndume also hinted at political realignments, suggesting that President Tinubu should be concerned if former President Muhammadu Buhari no longer supports his administration, following visits by opposition leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, to Buhari’s home.
Despite his criticisms, Ndume clarified that he holds President Tinubu in high regard and does not oppose him personally, though he disagrees with some of his policies.
In response, Bwala accused Ndume of a pattern of disloyalty, claiming that he has acted similarly in the past. Bwala said, “Let me make this clear and I want everyone to hear this, especially APC Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje: Senator Ali Ndume’s heart and mind are already with the opposition coalition; only his body remains in the APC. He is on his way out.”
Bwala drew comparisons to Ndume’s earlier political shifts, including a time when he left Senator Ali Modu Sheriff’s camp to join the PDP after feeling unsupported.
He also suggested that Ndume may be providing information to the opposition while still in the APC.
Bwala urged APC leaders to be vigilant, warning that Ndume might be engaging in a strategy of subversion. He contrasted this with the actions of Nasir el-Rufai, who left the APC without attempting to undermine it from within.
Meanwhile, opposition leaders such as Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Nasir el-Rufai are intensifying efforts to form a coalition to challenge Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
El-Rufai and some of his allies have already defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as part of the political realignment.
