Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, has launched an attack on Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South), branding him a “villainous exploiter” who has failed his constituents despite spending 22 years in the National Assembly.
Bwala, a former spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar’s presidential campaign, made the allegations during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, where he accused Ndume of prioritising political theatrics over tangible development in Borno South.
“He’s a villainous exploiter. Why do I call him that? Because that better describes who he is,” Bwala said.
He recounted a past alliance with Ndume, alleging the senator sought his support for the Senate presidency in 2015 but turned hostile after Bwala’s meeting with President Tinubu in October 2023.
“Since then, he’s been spreading falsehoods, claiming I’m being positioned to replace him. But let’s examine his record,” Bwala challenged.
Bwala accused Ndume of abandoning over 120,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Borno South who remain in Cameroon, despite the senator’s tenure as Majority Leader and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army.
“For 22 years—four in the House of Representatives and 18 in the Senate—he has done nothing to resettle his people. There’s not a single project he has executed in Southern Borno. Not one,” Bwala stated.
He dismissed Ndume’s claim of sponsoring the Northeast Development Commission (NEDC) bill, attributing it instead to Senator Yahaya Abubakar.
“Ninety percent of his bills don’t pass second reading. His primary job is lawmaking and oversight, yet he’s failed at both.”
Bwala alleged that Ndume thrives on a “crisis economy,” using national issues to deflect scrutiny.
“Whenever he’s due for accountability, he manufactures a populist narrative—like attacking Tinubu’s appointments—to pose as a defender of the masses,” he said.
He also accused the senator of manipulating ethnic and religious tensions: “To the Kanuri, he claims Southern Borno rejects him for being Muslim. To Southern Borno, he says the Kanuri marginalise him because his mother is Christian.”
Addressing Ndume’s criticism of Tinubu’s appointments, Bwala insisted that the president has adhered to federal character, citing ministers and advisers from Borno, including NNPC Chairman Pius Akinyelure.
“The economic team is dominated by Southwesterners because Nigeria’s commercial hubs are there. Insecurity is worst in the North; hence, the defence chiefs are Northerners. It’s strategic,” he argued.
Bwala revealed receiving death threats after previous criticisms of Ndume but vowed not to be silenced.
“He’s a ‘loser’ in every Senate he’s served. His only relevance is noise,” he said, urging APC leadership to rein in the senator.
Senator Ndume, who has previously criticised Tinubu’s economic policies and security handling, maintains his focus is on holding the government accountable.
Bwala acknowledged discontent within the APC but dismissed fears of implosion.
“The party is engaging aggrieved members. Ndume is an outlier exploiting grievances for relevance,” he said.
“A villainous exploiter thrives on chaos,” Bwala added. “Southern Borno deserves better than 22 years of empty rhetoric.”