Daniel Bwala, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, has openly accused Senator Ali Ndume of covertly planning to defect from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to join the growing opposition coalition. Bwala made the explosive allegation during a recent appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, a platform where both political figures have clashed in recent weeks.
The controversy stems from recent remarks made by Senator Ndume, the longest-serving lawmaker in Nigeria’s National Assembly since 1999, who publicly criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s emergency declaration in Rivers State. According to Ndume, the president should prioritize declaring a state of emergency on pressing national issues such as insecurity and the deteriorating economy instead.
Adding fuel to the political fire, Ndume hinted at a potential fracture in the president’s support base by stating that Tinubu should be worried if former President Muhammadu Buhari no longer backs his administration. This statement followed a notable visit by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other opposition leaders to Buhari in Kaduna—a move perceived by many as politically charged.
While Senator Ndume later clarified that his criticisms were policy-driven and not personal, asserting his continued respect for President Tinubu as a mentor, Bwala remained unconvinced.
On air, Bwala accused Ndume of having a track record of political disloyalty and compared his current actions to his past defection from the APC to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) during the tenure of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.
“Let me tell you today—and I want the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, to hear this: Senator Ali Ndume’s spirit and soul are already with the opposition coalition. Only his body remains in the APC. He is on his way out,” Bwala declared.
He further alleged that Ndume has a history of secretly working with rival parties while pretending to remain loyal to his current affiliation. “He did the same thing under Sheriff. He stayed behind, acted as a snitch, passed on intelligence to the other side, and then finally defected,” Bwala said.
Citing former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai as an example of a more honorable exit, Bwala said, “At least El-Rufai declared his intentions and left. But Ndume stays, criticizes from within, and pretends to be loyal. That’s far more dangerous.”
This drama unfolds against the backdrop of a rapidly shifting political landscape. Prominent opposition figures like Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and El-Rufai have reportedly intensified talks on forming a unified coalition to challenge President Tinubu in the 2027 general elections. El-Rufai and some allies have already moved to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in what appears to be a strategic repositioning ahead of future political contests.
