Has Ali Ndume spent 21 years in Senate Representing Borno?

Claim: An X user, @Onsogbu, claimed that Senator Ali Ndume had spent 21 years in the senate without achievement.

Verdict: Misleading. A keyword search conducted by DUBAWA reveals that the Borno Southern Senator was elected to the upper chamber 14 years ago.

Full Text

Ali Ndume is a strong critic of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. His recent criticism of Tinubu’s cabinet appointment on Arise TV has drawn backlash from ardent supporters of the ruling All Progressives Party (APC).

A verified X user, Pastor Okezie J. Atani (@Onsogbu) with 47,700 followers, claimed that Senator Ali has been in the Senate for 21 years. 

“So Senator Ali Ndume has been in the senate for 21 years? Can anyone show me his achievements to his people?” his text reads.

As of April 14, 2025, the claim had attracted 38,000 views, 144 comments, 111 retweets, 496 reactions, and two bookmarks.

The comment section of this post was divided. While some were calling for the achievements of Bola Tinubu since he assumed office, others said Ndume had spent 14 years in the Senate.

A verified X user,​​ Adetunji Adewolu (@AsetunjiAdewolu), commented, “21 years in the Senate, yet Borno is still plagued by insecurity. Where are the real, lasting achievements for his people? It’s time to judge impact, not tenure.”

“7 years in Reps and 14 years in Senate, actually. 21 years in the National Assembly, not Senate”. Prince De Lagos (@TheKayodeBadmus) reacted.

Another X user, Jbj001 (@JaybeeJay001), wrote, “The number of years he spent in the Senate is the achievement, na, even though I’m not sure of that 21 years, sha.”

Because of the divided comments under the post, DUBAWA decided to verify the claim.

Verification 

Nigeria operates a bicameral legislature, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. 

DUBAWA conducted a keyword search to determine the number of years the Borno Southern Senator, Ali Ndume, had spent in the Senate or Upper Chamber of the National House of Assembly.

Between 2003 and 2011, Ali Ndume was a member of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber, under the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). He switched to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2010 and contested for the Senate in 2011.

DUBAWA scanned his profile and discovered that Ali Ndume assumed office on June 6, 2011, succeeding Omar Hambagda as the Senator for Borno South.

DUBAWA’s check shows that the senator has only spent 14 years in the Senate, the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly. 

Below is the list of senators before Ali Ndume: Abubakar Mahdi— June 3, 1999, to June 3, 2003, under the People’s Democratic Party, and Omar Abubakar Hamgagba—June 3, 2003, to June 6, 2011, under the All Nigeria People Party.

Conclusion 

The claim that Ali Ndume had spent 21 years in the Senate is misleading. He had only spent 14 years in the Senate since he was elected from Hambagda in 2011.