Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, has accused Senator Ali Ndume of planning to defect to the opposition coalition. Bwala made this claim during his appearance on Sunday Politics, a Channels Television programme.

The two politicians have recently clashed over their differing political views. Ndume, a vocal critic of some of President Tinubu’s policies, notably opposed the president’s 2024 tax reform bills and threatened to leave the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) due to the proposed legislation. However, Ndume has clarified that his opposition is specifically directed at the policies, not at Tinubu himself, whom he regards as a mentor.

In his interview, Bwala accused Ndume of a history of political maneuvering, recalling how the senator defected from the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2010, citing injustices within his previous party. Bwala claimed that Ndume’s political behavior had been consistent, alleging that the senator had secretly met with the opposition before eventually making the jump to the PDP.

Bwala stated, “Let me tell you today — and I want everybody to hear this, especially the chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje: Senator Ali Ndume’s spirit and soul are with the coalition; it’s only his body that’s still in the APC. He is already on his way out.”

Bwala further accused Ndume of acting as a “snitch” during his past political moves, claiming the senator had provided information to the opposition before formally defecting. Bwala emphasized how Ndume had previously stayed within the APC, maintaining a façade of loyalty while secretly planning his exit.

As the 2027 elections approach, opposition leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-governor Peter Obi, and former Kaduna Governor Nasir el-Rufai, have been in talks about forming a coalition to challenge Tinubu’s re-election bid. El-Rufai, along with several of his allies, has already left the APC for the Social Democratic Party (SDP), signaling potential shifts in the political landscape ahead of the next presidential election.