It was his view that Boko Haram violence would continue until the group felt they had been heard and probably saw that the problems of poverty and unemployment, especially in North East zone, were being substantially addressed.Surprisingly, in November 2011, the senator was alleged to have links with Boko Haram. The alleged connection to Boko Haram was made following the Nigerian State Security Services alleged interrogation of a suspected Boko Haram member and spokesman, Mallam Ali Konduga. It was reported on November 21, 2011 that Ndume had been picked up by security agents for interrogation. He was later released on bail on self-recognition.He was later charged and arraigned on December 12, 2013 on a four-count charge by the Department of State Services (DSS). He was accused of sponsoring the Boko Haram sect and failing to provide information about the sects operations. The controversial trial is still ongoing. Ndume was quoted to have said at a time that Everyone is looking for scapegoats instead of solutions, apparently in reference to his trial.In January 12, 2014, Ndume pointedly accused the military authorities of trying to kill him, claiming that he escaped death by the whiskers in an ambush meant for the Boko Haram terrorists in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State. He said a Nigerian Air Force jet allegedly mistook his convoy for those of the Boko Haram terrorists and threw explosives at it.But NAF authorities promptly claimed that the jet mistakenly fired shots at the convoy while on a hot pursuit of some Boko Haram suspects who were operating in the area at the time Ndume was passing.Moving with the political tide during the merger of forces to give the PDP a run for the presidential slot in 2015, Ndume, again in company with other Senators from Borno State, defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to actualise his desire to return to the Senate.He won his election in the March 29, 2015 National Assembly polls. He quickly began to show more than a passing interest in the Senate Presidency. Ndume quickly aligned himself with a group of Senators who tagged themselves Senators of like minds, principally formed by Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, to actualise his (Sarakis) Senate Presidency.Ndume was among the North East Senators who disowned Senator Ahmed Lawans endorsement by the zone. He criticised what he called the overzealousness of Ahmed Lawan, and insisted that Lawan was unlikely to emerge Senate President.On June 9th at the inauguration of the 8th Senate, Ndume stood as the Rock of Gibraltar in the Senate chamber to give support to the emergence of Senator Saraki in disobedience to the APC leadership directive. He was later the same day nominated to run for the position of Deputy President of the Senate, but he defeated by Senator Ike Ekweremadu, a PDP Senator from Enugu West.On Thursday, Saraki announced Ndume as the Senate Majority Leader, again, in total disregard to APC leaderships instruction that Lawan should be made the Senate Majority Leader. Ndume was said to have been nominated and endorsed for the position by the North East APC Senate caucus.Political observers see his emergence as the prize for the brazen way the Senators of like minds stood against the wishes of the leadership of the APC to nominate its preferred candidates for the top positions in the National Assembly. This set of politicians not only worked against the realisation of the wishes of the party but also went into an unholy alliance with senators in the opposition PDP, which culminated in the election of Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President.Ndumes nomination and subsequent confirmation by Saraki as Majority Leader is, therefore, being read as his epaulette for the treachery and damning rebellion those signpost ominous consequences.Senator Baba Kaka GarbaiFor those who dont know him, Senator Baba Kaka Garbai represents Borno Central in the Senate. But for him, we would not know the true situation of the war against Boko Haram in the state. The sleek deception by President Muhammadu Buhari about the situation in Borno State would have remained concealed. Our President was going around telling the world that no inch of Nigerian territory is under the control of Boko Haram, while Borno indigenes groan under terrorism. Many pro-government propagandists gleefully circulated this position. The Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima also insulted patriotic Nigerians with glib comments about those who insisted that some Nigerian territories were still under Boko Harams control.But Senator Garbai, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress drew global attention to the deceit in the war against the terrorists. He countered them with facts and figures, showing that his state is divided in equal measure between the terror sect and the Nigerian military. Many of us will not forget that historic declaration by this senator. The truth must be told that both Boko Haram and the Nigerian nation each have full control of three local government areas in the troubled Borno State and both have a level of dominance in 21 other local councils. Mobbar, Abadam and Kala Balge LGs are 100 per cent occupied by the insurgents, declared Garbai in February.This honourable senator was threatened and called unprintable names for being honest about the situation in his state. Chieftains of the APC were expecting him to join in the big cover-up, but he refused to be intimidated. Events later unfolded in the state confirmed that Garbai was after all, correct. He was spot on.Even the Minister of Defence, Muhammad Mansur Dan-Ali became born again and for once told the truth about the situation in Borno. He must have stunned his boss (but not Nigerians) when he confirmed Garbais position that the terrorists still control some parts of Nigeria. In a chat with Voice of America (VOA), Dan-Ali stated that two or three local government areas of Borno State are still controlled by the terrorists. Apparently under pressure from his boss and APC loyalists, this minister amended his statement, saying he was quoted out of context, as he did not imply what was reported.Garbai is truly a patriot and a man of integrity that should be celebrated. He is honest and fearless. While virtually everybody involved in the war against Boko Haram chose to be economical with the truth, Garbai refused to be part of the charade. This country needs men like Garbai if we are to actualise our potential as a nation. Hayatu wroto in from Abuja
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